


And love just took me by surprise (looking through your eyes)

by GaneWhoo



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Barely any angst I promise, Easter eggs EVERYWHERE, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, Humor, Lois Lane is the MVP, Minor Sara Lance x Alex Danvers ship, Some fun characters, Summer Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:35:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 35,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25551400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaneWhoo/pseuds/GaneWhoo
Summary: Cat is a famous author and never does press for her books. After losing a bet with Lois, she has to give one in-depth interview to a reporter of Lois's choosing - she sends Kara.A few days of researching and intruding and talking about writing - will the reclusive Cat Grant really fall for the intrepid reporter Kara?
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Cat Grant
Comments: 65
Kudos: 298
Collections: SuperCat Christmas in July 2020





	1. CHAPTER 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fictorium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictorium/gifts).



> _With all my love_

“My favorite money-maker! What can I do for you, Cat?” 

Lois’ voice is uncharacteristically chirpy today. It instantly grates on Cat’s nerves, who knows exactly why her best friend is so cheerful. 

“You could stop being insufferable, for once,” Cat bites back, through her clenched teeth.

“Aww, don’t be a sore loser, Kitty Cat, it’s unbecoming of you,” Lois chuckles, smugly. “Now, is there a reason for this call? I’m running late for a meeting to deal with the absolute PR nightmare you-know-who caused with her hateful tweets.”

“Oh yes, Carter showed me her twitter account,” Cat nods, shaking her head at the words she’d read. “He was so upset and distraught … One of the many reasons I was very reluctant about him being on social media.” 

“I know, trust me,” Lois sighs. “A day like this, it makes me incredibly grateful for the fact you’ve always refused to be on Twitter, or any social media for that matter.”

Cat is almost tempted to tease her friend about the fact she usually gets pestered about her lack of an online presence every two days. She doesn’t. The hateful words of the author who shaped entire generations are not something she can make fun of, especially when they caused so much pain and despair to her thirteen years old son. 

“Anyway, I am calling to know if you finally picked the poor, unfortunate soul who won the right to the exclusive interview I’m supposed to give,” Cat explains, finally getting to the point. She does nothing to hide the surliness and annoyance lining her voice, still pissed off about losing the bet. “It’s been a week, I would have thought you’d already sent me the imposition of your choice by now.” 

Lois starts laughing on the other end of the line and it only sours Cat’s already foul mood. 

“First of all, you agreed to the conditions beforehand. And second, I won fair and square; so stop acting like it’s the end of the world,” Lois eventually retorts, once her laughter reduces. “Now, as a matter of fact, I did decide.” 

“Oh, you did?” Cat winces, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.

She’d been secretly hoping she would have more time to mentally prepare for the idea of giving a full, in-depth interview, something she’s successfully managed to avoid in her entire career as an author. Until she lost a bet against her best-friend, who also happened to be her literary agent. 

“Don’t sound so dejected, Cat, you knew it was coming,” Lois chuckles again before barking directions at someone. “Damn, the traffic in Metropolis is terrible today …”

“Tell me you at least picked someone from a decent newspaper or magazine,” Cat sighs, ignoring her friend’s comment altogether, “like the New York Times?”

“No.”

“The Boston Globe? I know Diana Prince sometimes does specific pieces for them, I wouldn’t mind getting interviewed by her …”

“I thought about it,” Lois admits, sounding thoughtful for a moment. “I went for someone else, in the end.” 

“The Central City Picture News?” Cat asks, sounding hopeful. “I mean … Iris West-Allen has a relatively acceptable style, though it’s more suited for the news than anything else ...”

“It’s not the Picture News,” Lois cuts in. 

“The Starling City Star? They do decent interviews sometimes, when they’re not obsessed by whatever new scandal the Queens are involved in. Oliver is being more scandalous than the whole Kennedy clan …”

“Exactly, which is why that newspaper was not even on my list of choices,” Lois confirms.

“For God sakes, Lois!” Cat is losing her patience. “Please tell me you’re not sending me that insipid ex-boyfriend of yours from the Daily Planet. I know I lost the bet but there is no way I will let that Kansas cowboy do ...”

“Relax, Cat,” Lois laughs, seemingly unbothered by the few unkind comments about her ex. “I know better.”

“Do you now,” Cat grumbles. “Alright, what about the Gotham Gazette?” 

“Good to know the Daily Planet still comes before Gotham,” Lois deadpans, clearly amused. “Anyway, no. There is no way in hell I’d give Bruce Wayne the pleasure of publishing your first interview ever.”

“I never understood what went on between you two,” Cat muses, momentarily distracted by the vindictive edge in Lois’ voice, “I still hope you’ll tell me, one day.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lois retorts, unflappable. “Are you giving up on guessing which newspaper will have the privilege of publishing your interview?”

“We covered all the worthy ones, and some trash,” Cat states. “I’m losing patience, just tell me.” 

Lois doesn’t say anything, and as it lasts Cat thinks they got disconnected. She quickly checks but no, the call is still going on. It’s so unusual for Lois to keep quiet for more than a minute that it has Cat a little worried.

“Lois?” Cat calls, trying her best not to sound anxious. “Are you still there?” 

“Sorry, yes,” Lois finally comes alive on the line. “I was searching for an email I need to forward to you, it contains all the contractual conditions for the interview. I highlighted the non-negotiable ones in red but for the rest of them, we can discuss it if you don’t agree.”

“Lois,” Cat snaps.

“Kara Danvers,” Lois replies, “I picked Kara Danvers to conduct your interview.” 

Cat mentally goes through her extensive rotary of journalists, columnists and reporters but the name doesn’t ring any bells. She takes pride in knowing most of the big names in the media, and then some, yet she has no idea who Kara Danvers is. It unsettles her.

“The name doesn’t sound familiar,” Cat frowns. “Does she even work for a newspaper? You do know I don’t do gossip blogs or trashy websites, right?” 

“Please,” Lois scoffs, sounding slightly offended, “I’ve been your best-friend since college. Give me some credit!”

“That may be so,” Cat concedes before continuing. “Still, since you also became my agent, we sometimes don’t see eye to eye on certain topics, present one included …” 

“That’s because you’re a stubborn ass, while I’m just trying to do my job; and do some promotion for you,” Lois retorts, sounding a little exasperated. “Now, you lost the bet and you have to do the interview. It’s not a big deal, stop acting like it is.”

A soft ping informs Cat she just received an email. 

“I sent you the email, read the conditions, and get back to me with all the complaints I know you will have,” Lois orders, meaning business.

“Fine,” Cat reluctantly sighs. “Which newspaper will get to … ”

“I gotta go,” Lois cuts her off, “Google is your best friend, bye!” 

She hangs up before Cat can even start to voice her discontentment.

\---

Kara all but barges into her sister’s apartment, and starts rambling the moment she spots Alex.

“You are never going to believe what just happened! I mean, sorry I’m late but listen, listen …” Kara lets her bag drop on the couch and continues without a pause. “As I was getting ready to leave the office, my phone started to ring. My private cell I mean, not the company phone on my desk, and it was an unknown number … I mean, can you imagine? I’ve been a reporter at the Tribune for less than a month and I’m already getting mysterious phone calls!”

Alex, who’s used to her exuberant sister, simply rubs a hand over her face and moves around in her kitchen to turn on the coffee machine. 

“Anyway you know me, I sat back down and I picked up. I didn’t know what to expect but nothing, NOTHING in the world could have prepared me for who was on the other end of the line,” Kara squeals, almost bouncing up and down in between the couch and the kitchen island. “Lois Lane! LOIS FREAKING LANE!”

Alex blinks at the name, seemingly not recognizing it. 

“She’s one of the most famous literary agents in the whole world, Alex!” Kara insists, a hint of exasperation underlining her voice. “She’s also the COO of CatCo Publishing, the publishing house that owns all of the exclusive rights to every C. Grant book!”

That name finally seems to get a reaction from Alex. Surprise flashes in her eyes as she looks up from above the rim of her coffee mug. Suddenly, the exhaustion etched on her features doesn’t seem too deep.

“Wait, are you telling me you got a phone call from the ever elusive C. Grant’s agent?” Alex asks, making sure she’s following her sister’s intense rambling. 

“Yes! I know how crazy it sounds, believe me! I was speechless but wait, it gets better,” Kara laughs. Her smile goes from ear to ear and her eyes are shining with so much excitement it’s almost blinding. “She was calling to let me know I would be the one to conduct a totally exclusive interview, one for the record books, because it’s never been done before …”

“No way!” Alex gasps, finally understanding why her sister is all over the place. “You’re going to interview the mysterious C. Grant?!” 

“I am!” Kara squeals, sounding positively giddy.

“Wait, how do you know it’s not some cruel joke from your new coworkers?” Alex frowns, lowering her coffee mug onto the countertop. “I mean, you said so yourself, you’ve been working for this newspaper for less than a month … Don’t get me wrong, you’re extremely talented but you don’t have a reputation in this field yet. You’re not exactly Diana Prince from the Globe or Iris West from Picture News ...”

Kara waves her sister’s skepticism away.

“First of all, it’s Iris West-Allen. She and Barry have been married for over a year now and she signs her bylines with her full name, no excuse,” Kara retorts, sparing a glare to her sister before swinging by the couch. “Also, I know it’s true because I actually got an email with a bunch of conditions I need to agree to and sign before I can even know more about the assignment. I checked and unless my new coworkers are evil geniuses, everything is legit.”

She fishes out her phone, and pulls up her emails before giving the device to her sister. Alex takes it without saying anything and absorbs herself in reading, only stopping from time to time to sip at her coffee.

“Well I’ll be damned …” Alex finally murmurs, looking dumbfounded. “Given the number of crazy requirements listed in this email, I can only assume you are indeed about to interview the most elusive, most mysterious author of our generation …”

“I know, right?” Kara chuckles, eyes alight with impatience and pride.

“You look and sound punchdrunk, it’s ridiculous,” Alex smiles, shaking her head affectionately. “Now, I just came home from a twelve hour surgery and if I have to deal with you on top of that, I need food and a lot of booze. I’m too tired to cook and you’re hopeless in the kitchen so let’s order some take out and then you can tell me all about the phone call.”

Kara’s already on the phone by the time Alex finishes her sentence.

“I’m ordering Chinese,” Kara explains, gesturing toward the corner of the apartment with her free hand. “Go take a shower, I’ll set up everything for our movie night.”

Alex doesn’t need to be told twice.

Half an hour later, freshly showered and comfortable in a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt that says “too gay to function”, she sits down on her couch next to her sister.

The coffee table in front of her is almost disappearing under the indecent number of takeout boxes. It smells like warm pork chops and chop suey, it makes her stomach grumble. 

“I went out to buy you some beers, there was none in your fridge. I also restocked your liquor cabinet with gin, tequila, and Scotch, the nice kind,” Kara informs her, handing a beer to her sister. “You should think about doing some grocery shopping, your kitchen is ridiculously empty …”

Alex allows herself to empty a good third of her beer before retorting.

“First of all, I’m a neurosurgeon and I have very limited free time, all of which I usually spend with you. Second, you’re one to talk! You moved in two months ago and your place is still full of unpacked boxes!”

“Touché,” Kara grins. “Alright let’s eat, while I tell you all about the phone call with Lois Lane.”

\---

“Who the hell is Kara Danvers?”

“Hello to you too, Cat,” Lois replies, opening her door and stepping aside to let her friend in. “I was just about to order some italian food, would you like to join me? I have wine.”

“I hate it when you sweet talk me into something,” Cat mumbles, giving a short nod to her friend to accept the invite. She drops her high heels by the entrance, and follows Lois into the house, bare foot on the hard wooden floor.

“Do you?” Lois muses, sarcastically. “As I seem to recall, I sweet-talked you into making a lot of money and while you certainly groaned every step of the way, I don’t hear any complaints about the fact you’re extremely well off, today …” 

“You know what I mean,” Cat retorts with a flick of her wrist before settling onto a high-stool at the kitchen island. She arches a brow at the magnificent cat sitting on the countertop, right across from her. “That’s certainly new …”

The animal doesn’t seem too phased by her presence but the eyes, a translucent green, are intent and watchful. 

“Barnaby here isn’t mine,” Lois shrugs, retrieving her phone from where it was charging, next to the brand new and extremely fancy coffee machine. “Lana needed someone to keep an eye on him for a couple weeks.”

Cat tilts her head to the side and notices that, after a beat, Barnaby does the same. It gives him a thoughtful look, his graceful and white whiskers contrasting with his long-haired black fur. 

“You’re playing cat sitter for Lana Lang?” Cat asks, not taking her eyes off the cat. She feels strangely fascinated. “How kind of you …”

“Shut up,” Lois groans, dialing the restaurant and raising the phone to her ear. “Besides … Look at him, how could I have said no to this face?” 

Cat has to admit Lois has a point. 

“I’ve never seen a black maine coon before,” Cat simply comments, choosing not to insist on teasing Lois about her sentimental life. She knows her friend is terrified of commitment and that for her, a cat is already a big step. “He’s majestic.”

Lois nods and smiles before focusing on placing a few orders for the food.  
It warms Cat’s heart that, despite the fact they’ve been best-friends for years and know each other by heart, Lois still checks that everything she orders suits her current mood and tastes. 

“You can choose the wine,” Lois states once she’s done with ordering the food. “I have another phone call to make and then I’m all yours.” 

Lois quickly exits the kitchen. A few minutes later, Cat sees her friend wander onto the porch, the phone against her ear and a big smile on her lips. 

“Must be your owner,” Cat says to Barnaby with a smirk. The cat doesn’t seem to understand because he doesn’t react at all. Cat shrugs and hops off the stool.

“Alright, let’s see the wine collection shall we?”

The cat still doesn’t move but follows her every move with his eyes as she goes to the wine cave. It’s as high as the fridge next to it but rather narrow, with racks that could only host five to six bottles. 

“White or red?” Cat wonders out loud, considering the rather impressive bottles in the wine cave. In the end, she settles for a nice Chianti that will go perfectly with the dishes Lois ordered. 

She moves around the kitchen with the ease of someone who’s been here often and puts two big wine glasses on the countertop before opening the bottle. Barnaby finally moves and stretches before coming to sniff the glasses. 

“Not sure it’s going to be of any interest to you,” Cat chuckles. Sure enough, the cat turns his back to the glasses and returns to his previous spot to begin licking his paw, conscientiously ignoring the world around him. 

The echo of a bell rings across the house and Cat puts the bottle on the countertop before moving to go retrieve the delivery at the door. When she returns, the cat is still there and he barely spares a glance at her before returning to his grooming. 

It’s only when she starts unpacking the food that he looks up again, whiskers swishing with every sniff of his nose. 

“Ah, so now I’m worthy of your attention …” Cat comments, wandering around the kitchen to find everything she needs to set the table. “Surprise surprise …”

Barnaby’s ears seem to follow the sound of her voice and again, his eyes are intent and watchful, clearly interested too.

“You’re the kind of cat who goes all doe-eyed to get some food out of humans, aren’t you?” 

“Cat … Are you talking to the cat?” Lois asks, clearly amused, as she steps back into the room. 

“I am not,” Cat denies, handing over a glass of wine to her friend. “I’m talking to myself.”

Lois’ eyes suddenly sparkle with humor and mischief. Cat hears the comment before it escapes her friend’s lips.

“Well …” Lois starts, her smirk already widening.

“Don’t you dare. Shut up.” Cat cuts her off, glaring down at her friend.

“Fine,” Lois relents, still looking entirely too smug to Cat’s liking. “Now, before I explain to you ‘who the hell is Kara Danvers’, let’s go over the ridiculous conditions you asked for.”

“They’re not ridiculous,” Cat retorts, very seriously. She moves around the kitchen island to return to her high-stool while Lois comes to sit at an angle next to her. “They’re all perfectly legitimate.”

“No pictures at all,” Lois quotes, having pulled up Cat’s email on her phone. “No personal questions allowed. The interview has to take place in National City, at the agency and only between 12pm and 2pm. NDAs mandatory.”

“So?” Cat shrugs, sipping at her wine without taking her eyes off her friend. “All perfectly reasonable.” 

“First of all, I did specify the conditions highlighted in red were non negotiable so there will be pictures,” Lois states, meaning business this time. It amazes Cat as much as it infuriates her that Lois is able to easily walk the frontier between bestfriend and agent. “Now, it doesn’t have to be pictures of you. We can work a deal for a hand holding a pen, a faceless silhouette in front of a highly luminous window, a hidden form in your garden, you behind the tinted window of your car … We can work it out. Kara is a highly talented photograph, tell her what you want and what you don’t want, she’ll make it happen.” 

Cat reluctantly nods. Lois’ suggestions suit her and she knows better than to try and argue on something she can’t win. 

“Now, your “no personal questions” condition … Let’s compromise,” Lois muses, looking thoughtful. “It’s an interview, the very first interview you’ll give in your career, in your life, so obviously it will cover some personal aspects but you can pick three topics you absolutely don’t want to see covered. Kara won’t ask and even if she does, anything related to those topics will be erased from the proofs. How about that?”

Cat sighs, knowing it’s another battle she can’t win. 

“Carter is off limits. There can be no mention of him, ever, not even the slightest hint that I have a child. Nothing about his father, either. I don’t want questions about my sentimental life, past, present or future,” Cat states, in response to Lois’ compromise.

“Alright, but if she asks about your views on same sex marriage, on who-we-shall-not-name’s comments about transgender people or anything like that, you answer truthfully,” Lois replies, already typing the new conditions on her phone. “Everything will be reviewed before it’s published so don’t worry, but I want you to be honest. Don’t forget, your voice is extremely important and this will be the first time you use it, so do it well.”

“I can do that,” Cat agrees, helping herself to a generous portion of vegetable lasagna. 

“The interview won’t happen in the agency,” Lois says and before Cat can protest, she continues. “No, this is non negotiable. It has to take place in a personal setting. Now, feel free to start in your penthouse in National City if you don’t want to bring her to your house in Midvale but I think it would be best if she could see your natural habitat. You can decide the schedule with her.”

Lois pours herself another glass of wine, puts a bite of carbonara in her mouth and then narrows her eyes at her friend. 

“I know you Cat. I know you’ll probably try to make her life a living hell because you hate the idea of being interviewed so I’m telling you; I will call her everyday to know how it goes and I’m ready to cover her full expenses for as long as necessary, until she gets everything she needs to write the article.” 

Cat clenches her jaw and glares at her friend. Lois doesn’t even blink. 

“I’m immune to the Grant glare, and you know it. Now, let’s move on to the other conditions you stipulated,” Lois eventually breaks the silence before it becomes too heavy. “I won’t tell Kara how to dress, no. You’ll have to tell her yourself if it doesn’t please your sense of aesthetic.” 

“You seem to know her well,” Cat suddenly notices. “You call her by her first name, you speak of her as if she is more than just a reporter about to do an exclusive on me …”

“She’s … related to a friend of mine,” Lois eludes, waving away Cat’s comment. “I’ll tell you about her but we need to agree on the conditions first, I want to send her a contract before the end of the week.” 

“Fine, fine,” Cat relents. “I can agree with pretty much everything you wrote in red, we’ve compromised on the rest. Also, I want a veto on the final thing. It’s not mentioned everywhere in the email and I know for a fact that you know better.”

“I thought I could get away with it, just this once, but of course not,” Lois sighs, typing on the new email she’s been drafting since they began negotiating. “Here, you’ll have a veto on the final interview, before publication. However, you’ll get one and only one. No interminable talks that will stall the whole thing off for days, weeks, even months at an end. Are we clear?” 

“Alright,” Cat nods to accept the terms. 

She takes another bite of lasagna before focusing on her friend, waiting for Lois to finish her email. Once the agent finally puts away her phone, Cat locks eyes with her and asks:

“Now, who the hell is Kara Danvers?”

\---

She’s half an hour early when she gets off the bus, a block away from the address stipulated in the email. She checks, once more, that she is in the right place before following the directions of her GPS to find the appropriate building.

Her phone suddenly starts to vibrate in her hand, taking her by surprise, and she’s so nervous she almost drops the device. The caller ID says Lana Lang, Lois Lane’s personal assistant. 

“Hello?” Kara tentatively replies, wondering if the woman is calling to cancel the meeting. It’s been rescheduled twice already, and Kara gets the distinct impression the mighty C. Grant doesn’t want to be interviewed. 

“Good morning Kara! Is this a bad time?” Lana asks, energy flowing in her voice. Kara doesn’t know what she looks like but somehow, she pictures a red-haired woman with a kind smile and some mischief in her eyes. 

“Uh, no I’m on my way to the address you sent in your latest email,” Kara explains, slowly coming to a stop. She now stands in the middle of the sidewalk, in front of a cute library that advertises children’s books through a lot of colorful posters and hand-made drawings. 

“Perfect! I was just calling to see if you needed more directions to get there,” Lana retorts, a chuckle escaping her lips at the end of her sentence. “I know this meeting has been moved around a lot and I wanted to make sure that, now that it’s finally happening, you could get to it without incident.” 

“Oh,” Kara breathes, surprised. “That’s … very thoughtful of you, thank you!” 

“You’re welcome Kara! Do you have any last minute questions I can answer before you meet Miss Grant?” 

“I don’t think so,” Kara frowns, racking her mind to come up with something. She’s a bundle of nerves, fighting against the restless energy buzzing through her whole body, and she truly appreciates Lana calling to make sure everything is okay. “Any advice for me? I get the feeling I’m not exactly good news …” 

“Miss Grant is … “ Lana pauses and Kara waits, almost holding her breath. She came up strangely empty handed when she researched the infamous author on the web, and through her sources. 

“She’s something, that’s for sure,” Lana says, the obviousness of the statement making Kara roll her eyes. “She’s got a temper, she’s very high maintenance and there’s a lot of things she doesn’t like. However … you’ve read her books, right?”

“I did,” Kara replies, frowning.

“What do they tell you then?” Lana asks, mischievously.

“Urgh,” Kara groans, not in the mood to play games with Lois Lane’s assistant, no matter how kind she is. 

“Oh, I have another call incoming,” Lana suddenly says. ”Good luck, Kara Danvers! Lois will be calling you afterward to know how it went. Bye!”

The line goes dead before Kara can reply and she swallows against the nervous lump in her throat. Looking at her phone to check the GPS again, she sees that she has a text from Alex. She calls her sister back without reading it.

“Make it fast, I’m about to start my rounds,” Alex greets her with the sharp voice she usually reserves for her interns. 

“What if it sucks? What if I ruin the only shot I have at meeting C. Grant?” Kara asks, unable to keep her anxiety at bay any longer. “She’s going to hate me! She clearly doesn’t want to be interviewed, she kept postponing the meeting and I’m pretty sure her agent had to force her hand for it to finally happen and she’s gonna blame me for it …”

“Shut up,” Alex snaps, sharper than ever. It’s so sudden and unexpected that Kara does just that. “Now, stop whining, it’s beyond annoying. You got this. You’ve been to some of the most dangerous countries in the world to interview people no one even knew existed. You’ve faced some real dangers in order to bring light to those people and their issues, so you can interview one famous author.” 

Kara opens her mouth to protest that it isn't just some famous author she’s about to meet and interview but Alex keeps talking.

“Yes, yes, she’s THE author and she’s been your idol ever since you discovered her books but still, my point stands. You deserve this, you got this. Now, stop complaining and go do your job, because I have to go do mine. I have lives to save.”

Like Lana, Alex hangs up before giving Kara time to say something.

“Rude,” Kara mumbles, staring at the phone. 

She could still feel some anxiety rolling around in her stomach, but Alex’s pep talk, as brutal as it’s been, did help. She opens her GPS app again and this time, she doesn’t get distracted.

A few minutes later, she finally enters the lobby of one of the tallest skyscrapers in National City. 

The minimalist elegance of the place is intimidating, a far cry from Kara’s usual places of work. She instantly feels inadequate. 

“Good morning miss, may I help you?” The receptionist asks through his plastered on smile, his eyes following Kara’s every move as she approaches the desk. The gold buttons of his black uniform are shining and he doesn’t appear to have a single hair out of place. 

“Uh, hi! Yes, I have a meeting with Miss Grant, at 10:15?” Kara explains, unconsciously adjusting her blazer.

“Of course,” the receptionist nods. Kara doesn’t miss the slight skepticism that flashes in his eyes but he doesn’t say anything. “ID, please?”

Kara pulls her passport out of her bag and slides it across the desk.  
It takes a minute before she’s directed to an elevator and the man inserts a special key where the button for the penthouse should be. 

“It’s the door on your left once you exit the lift.” The receptionist informs her before exiting the elevator. “Have a lovely day, Miss Danvers.”

“Uh, thanks, you too,” Kara manages to say back before the doors close. 

She pulls out her phone and turns it off, not taking any chances. In the back of the elevator, the upper half of the wall is a mirror and Kara checks herself one last time.

Now that she’s seen the building, the fancy lobby and the even fancier receptionist, she completely regrets her outfit. She should have gone for the powder pink pant suit she bought a week ago instead of favoring the casual pair of denim jeans, the white shirt and her beloved navy blazer. She didn’t even pick heels, she thinks, wincing at the white flat shoes she chose to match her top and to make her commute more comfortable.

“Stupid, stupid,” Kara berates herself for a good thirty seconds before taking a steadying breath once the elevator stops. 

She exits the lift and looks to the right, before remembering the receptionist’s direction. The picture on the door in front of her indicates it’s the stairway and she shakes her head before turning left.

Sparing a glance at her watch, she notices she is right on time. 

“Well, it’s now or never,” Kara murmurs to herself before taking a deep breath.

She raises a hand and finally rings the bell.

\---

The bell echoes in the penthouse and Cat instantly looks at the time displayed in the corner of her laptop.

10:15.

The shadow of a smirk graces her lips but she’s quick to recompose herself.  
Standing up from the couch, she walks to the door, only taking a second to check herself in the mirror on the way. She replaces a loose strand of hair and deems herself ready.

The sight that greets her when she opens the door is not at all what she had been expecting.

The reporter in front of her looks like a walking advertisement for some fancy university program.  
She’s been expecting a woman, but instead she’s faced with a girl who looks barely out of college; one who apparently doesn’t wear makeup and still thinks ponytails are a thing. Cat’s expert eyes instantly notice the flat shoes, the denim jeans, and the casual top under the fake-professional blazer. 

“Miss … Danvers, I presume?” Cat eventually brings herself to greet the stranger at her door, internally cursing Lois for subjecting her to this. 

“In the flesh,” the reporter exuberantly replies with a smile. “It’s an honor and a pleasure to meet you, Miss Grant. Please, call me Kara.” 

Cat stares at the girl in front of her, slightly thrown off by the warm smile and sparkling blue eyes. She’s quick to recover, though, and ignores the hand Kara’s extending in order to step aside.

“Well, come on in, I don’t have all day,” Cat snaps when Kara doesn’t move. It startles the reporter, who’s quick to enter the penthouse. She’s clutching to her shoulder bag and Cat notices that the black leather item, while incredibly worn out, still looks fancy. 

Cat leads her unwanted guest to the living room and gestures for Kara to take a seat while she reclaims her spot on the couch, in front of her laptop.

“Alright, Miss Danvers,” Cat says, curtly. “I admit, I was expecting someone more … experienced, to conduct my interview, but I’ll make do with you.” 

She leans forward and starts typing on her laptop, seemingly ignoring the girl sitting in front of her.

“Uh, Miss Grant?” Kara eventually replies, stuttering just a bit. “I was told by Miss Lane that …”

“Oh right, Lois picked you,” Cat cuts her off. “I looked you up, you know? I wanted to understand why she chose you to conduct my interview, but what would you know, I didn’t find anything.”

She doesn’t look up, nor does she stop writing. She’s been struggling with this passage for a few weeks now and she’s well aware that her frustration is leaking through her tone, making it sound like it’s directed at the reporter. 

“So tell me, Miss Danvers,” Cat asks, still not looking up from her screen. “What makes you so special?” 

The silence that follows her question is only broken by the sound of her fingers flying on her keyboard. She’s trying but the words just don’t flow in the right way. The whole section sounds out of rhythm, like a broken record. 

“I’m not.”

That gets her attention.  
Surprised, she looks up from her screen and her hands still above the keyboard. Kara looks at her without smiling, serious and calm. Her eyes, so incredibly blue, seem a shade darker than earlier though, and Cat thinks there might be some backbone to the girl after all.

“You’re not?” Cat arches a brow, pushing to see if Kara is going to elaborate.

“No,” Kara confirms, the shadow of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “Then again, neither are you.”

Cat blinks, unsure of what she’s just heard. The cursor on her page blinks back at her but Kara doesn’t. 

“Hmm … So I’m not special?” Cat slowly asks, starting to feel irritated.

“No,” Kara retorts without missing a beat. “Isn’t that the point to your question? To state that no one is special?”

Cat tilts her head to the side, mulling over Kara’s words.

“Do you agree with that statement?” Cat eventually asks, still annoyed but recognizing that Kara has a point. 

“I don’t, no,” Kara replies. 

Her answer makes Cat’s irritation flare up. She frowns and considers the girl in front of her, wondering what Lois saw in her. For her part, she sees nothing but an annoying young woman who thinks she knows better than everyone else. 

“Oh, I see,” Cat lets out in a dry chuckle. “You’re one of those millennials who thinks everyone is special, am I right?” 

“That’s one way to look at it,” Kara says with a curt nod. “I mean, from the way you answered, I can tell you think you’re pretty special.” 

Cat knows a jab when she hears one. While Kara’s tone is still calm and neutral, there’s an underlying sarcasm that shapes her words into criticism. 

“I also think you associate skills and talent with age and in your mind, millennials are too young to do anything but sprout nonsense on social media and take part in online debates you probably judge as useless because you don’t understand them.” 

Cat slowly closes her laptop and leans back into the cushion, all without taking her eyes off Kara. She thought she had Kara pegged, but in retrospect maybe she should have seen it coming. After all, Lois did pick her and Lois never does anything without thinking it through first. 

“And you don’t?” Cat replies, inviting the girl to speak. “I mean, you’re calling me out on my stereotyped views of the millennial but what about your views on my generation?”

“Your generation is setting itself on fire,” Kara states, with a dangerous calm in her voice. “As we speak, I’m pretty sure twitter is exploding because of the hurtful tweets of an author who was once looked up to by millions of fans.” 

Cat, who had a reply at the ready, thinks back on Carter’s distress, on Lois’ rage and on her own indignation on the topic.

“You do have a point,” Cat concedes. “Still, that’s one person.” 

“Is it?” Kara challenges, arching a brow. “I’m almost certain there’s more, but since they’re not that famous, they’re not as exposed. Which is not an excuse, of course. In the past few years, a lot of toxic behaviours have been exposed and denounced. I don’t have any current statistics but I’m pretty sure most of the people concerned are from your generation.”

“Alright, what does that have to do with me?” Cat counters. “I’m not the reflection of my generation …”

“How would anyone know?” Kara asks, looking slightly amused. “You don’t have any social media, you don’t communicate with the outside world, you never do press for your books … No one knows anything about you. I think that’s the whole point of this interview, and it’s probably why Lois Lane chose me. So there, you have it. I may not be special in your eyes, but I know I’m the right person for the job.” 

Cat silently studies the girl in front of her.  
She sees the passion burning in Kara’s bright blue eyes, the strong jaw defiantly pointed forward, the challenging little smile, and slightly arched brown. There’s something to her Cat can’t quite pinpoint but she’d be lying if she said she isn’t drawn to it. 

“Alright, Miss Danvers,” Cat eventually breathes out, smirking at the flash of relief that crosses Kara’s face. “Shall we begin?”

\---

“First thing first …” Kara asks, pulling a notebook from her bag while rummaging around in it to find a pen. “What does the C stand for?”

“I don’t want my first name to be known by the public.”

Kara barely restrains the frustrated sigh that threatens to escape her lips. First question in and the woman in front of her is already rebelling. She can almost feel a headache slowly starting to creep behind her forehead.

“I’m actually not asking for publishing purposes,” Kara explains, pointing her chin at the closed notebook on her lap. “I just don’t know your real name. You’re only known as C. Grant and I’m just wondering what I should call you.”

The mischievous smirk that graces the author’s lips tells Kara she’s walked right into some kind of trap. 

“Miss Grant will do, Miss Danvers.”

Kara still doesn’t sigh but she shakes her head, slowly resigning herself to the migraine she knows she’ll get once the meeting is over.

“Fine,” Kara relents, opening her notebook and turning a few pages to find a blank one. 

She doesn’t miss the way the author curiously eyes the worn-out, leather-bound item. It’s the kind that’s been used and overused, precious from sentimental value. The pages she’s going through are either covered with a quick yet tidy scrawl or filled with drawings, maps, and schematics, all handmade. 

“So, Miss Grant. You’ve written a good number of books, all best-sellers, making you one of the most influential authors of all time …” Kara states, factually, careful not to sound starstruck or in awe. “Yet, you’re a mystery. There is no picture of you online, no one knows your first name, you’re not on any social media and you never do press. Why is that?” 

Something sparkles in the author’s green eyes, something Kara doesn’t quite recognize. It makes the smirk go away and instead, she looks almost thoughtful for a moment.

“No beating around any bushes, I see …”

Kara stays silent, simply waiting for the real answer.

“Tell me … Who are you, Miss Danvers?” 

Miss Grant, since she insists on being called by her title, is slowly turning out to be an insufferable pain in the ass. The thought swirls and settles in a corner of Kara’s mind and she tries her best not to clench her jaw..

“Lois refused to tell me anything about you, aside from the fact you’re related to someone she knows. You ask about my lack of online presence, but what about yours? I reached out to a few people I know, no one has ever heard about you … Yet, here you are, interviewing me.”

“Does it bother you?” Kara asks, suddenly. “Is that why you keep stalling? Does it hurt your ego, that I am some kind of nobody while you could have been interviewed by Diana Prince, from the Boston Globe?”

“If that’s your way of pointing out that I’m thinking too highly of myself, I’d say you’re doing it wrong. It backfired, making it look like your ego is even bigger than mine, which is no small feat, let me tell you.”

Kara had been expecting a challenge, but she never imagined it would be this hard.  
Two questions in, no answers. She knows it’s a little early to apply statistics, but she can recognize a pattern. She’s frustrated and a little vexed as well, annoyed too. To buy herself some time, she clicks her pen and starts writing in her notebook. 

“What is that language you’re using?”

Kara looks up and blinks at the author, surprised that she could see from her spot on the couch.

“I can see the way you move your pen and it’s … unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Are you encrypting your words?” 

“I … am, yes,” Kara nods, quickly jotting a few notes down before looking up again. “I came up with this system in college, after my roommate stole a whole essay from one of my notebooks, and I was accused of plagiarism. I learned my lesson and started encrypting my notes.” 

Curiosity sparkles in the author’s green eyes and Kara can tell she’s interested. It gives her an idea.

“Tell you what. This is the very first interview you’re giving, ever, and I can tell you’re doing it under duress,” Kara states, putting her pen in between the pages of her notebook and closing it. “Let’s try something else. Today, you get to interview me. I’ll answer your questions, so you can get to know me better, and the next time we meet, you’ll answer mine.”

For a moment, the writer looks suspicious and Kara fears she’ll refuse. She doesn’t have any other ideas to try to improve the interview process, and she’s not sure she can come up with one within the next hour, so she really hopes C. Grant will take the trade. 

“Very well, Miss Danvers. You’ve got yourself a deal.”

Kara lets out a slightly relieved sigh, one that doesn’t escape the author. The woman doesn’t comment on it but an amused smirk graces her lips, matching the mischievous glint in her eyes. 

“Alright, then ask away,” Kara puts her notebook back in her bag and lets herself lean back against the cushions. 

“Are you a real reporter?”

The question is blunt and direct. It takes Kara by surprise for a few seconds before she starts to laugh.

“Not beating around the bush either, I see,” Kara chuckles. “Yes, I am a real reporter. Have been for the past five years.”

“I don’t believe you,” The author shakes her head, defiantly looking at Kara. “You look like you’re fresh out of whatever community college you went to, and I’ve never heard your name before.” 

“I’m choosing to take the first comment as a compliment,” Kara shrugs before continuing. “I use another name to sign my articles. Kara Zorel.”

The author arches a surprised brow, a sparkle of acknowledgement flashing in her green eyes.

“Now, that is a name I recognize … Celebrity interviews seem completely out of your area of expertise. Are you switching specialities?” 

“I’m not,” Kara laughs once more. “I just started at the National City Tribune and they’re in desperate need of some rebranding, which means we’re all on the lookout for a big, splashy scoop, in whatever form it comes. Your agent called and asked if I wanted the opportunity to interview you. One bird, two stones … Also, I was just curious to meet you.” 

“Ah, and do I live up to your expectations?” The author asks, sounding genuinely interested in the answer.

“So far? Not really”, Kara retorts without missing a beat. 

It instantly strikes a nerve because the author frowns, anger flaring in her eyes and settling all over her face. The outraged writer leans forward, leaving the comfort of her cushions, to lock eyes with Kara’s.

“Excuse me?!”

“Hey, you asked and I answered,” Kara shrugs, secretly very amused. “You’ve been nothing but snobbish and aggressive since I stepped into your penthouse so I have yet to see how someone like you could have written such an incredibly diverse, and subtly, powerful collection of books.”

“Ah, so you have read my books,” The writer states, eyes still intent on Kara.

“Every single one of them,” Kara nods, not blinking away from the intent glare. 

“Any favorite?” 

“A few,” Kara nods again. “I particularly liked your political thriller: ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way’.”

“Really?” Skepticism leaks through the author’s voice. “It’s one of the first books I wrote and frankly, probably my least successful one …”

“That’s because you then went on and wrote a saga that eclipsed both The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, in yet another genre. You wrote about the infinite facets of love in a way no one ever has before and the fact that, in the same saga, you also dug into the extreme darkness of humanity is even more impressive. Those books shaped entire generations of people and will continue to do so for a long, long time …”

“Yet, your favorite book of mine is one everyone overlooks, aside from some hardcore fans who make a point to read everything I write …”

Kara doesn’t miss the evident insinuation but chooses not to comment on it. Instead, she simply waits for the author to ask another question.

“How old are you?”

“28 in two months,” Kara replies after a beat, thinking that if she asks Miss Grant that question, she probably won’t get a truthful answer.

“You’ve traveled the world, met some interesting people along the way, took some incredible photos too … How did it start? Did you always want to become a reporter?”

Kara laughs and shakes her head no.

“Actually, not at all. I first wanted to be a scientist and I did almost complete a PhD in physics but in the end, staying in a lab all day wasn’t for me. I’ve always been a … people person, and I couldn’t stay in one place for too long. My cousin eventually put me in for an internship at the Daily Planet and now, five years later, here I am.” 

“Your cousin works at the Daily Planet?”

“Not anymore, no, but he used to,” Kara nods, wondering why the author suddenly looks very interested in this particular line of questioning. 

A ringtone suddenly breaks the moment. Kara instantly recognizes the unmistakable Star Wars theme and arches a very surprised brow, not having expected someone like C. Grant to have such a geeky side. 

“One moment, Miss Danvers,” The author says, grabbing her cellphone and picking it up in one fluid motion. “Hello sweetheart! I didn’t expect you to call me so soon!”

Kara watches, a little mesmerized, as C.Grant’s face melts into a warm and genuine smile. She suddenly looks like a totally different person, eyes alight with affection, and the love that radiates from her whole body softens every sharp edge of her persona. 

Kara thinks that, given how extremely private C. Grant is about something as trivial as her first name, she wouldn’t act so carefree because of a significant other. Especially not in front of her, since the writer sees her as nothing but an invasive reporter.  
She figures the caller must be someone else then. Not a lover, not a partner, but still someone extremely important, someone she instinctively calls “sweetheart” and whomst she’s so familiar with that she can’t pretend and maintain her cold, distant and prickly demeanor.

She almost gapes in surprise when realisation hits her.

C. Grant is a mother.

\---

“So, how did it go?”

Cat tucks the phone in between her ear and her shoulder in order to pour herself a glass of Scotch, making Lois wait a moment for her answer.

“Cat, how was the interview?” Lois insists, slightly alarmed now.

“Oh relax, she’s fine,” Cat huffs, rolling her eyes at her best-friend despite the fact she couldn’t see it. “It went fine, I suppose.”

“Funny, that’s not exactly what she said,” Lois retorts, this time sounding exasperated. 

“Really?” Cat muses, feigning innocence. She carries her glass to the balcony of her penthouse and leans against the rail, eyes wandering over National City’s skyline at dusk. “What did she say?”

“She said you were avoiding her questions. To win your trust, she offered to let you interview her, so that she could do the actual interview the next time you two meet …”

“Sounds about right,” Cat smirks around the rim of her glass.

“You’re impossible,” Lois groans in frustration. “So, how did it actually go? Do you trust her now? At least, enough to actually answer her questions?” 

Cat thinks back on the few hours she’s spent with Kara. The heated beginning, the intellectual banter, the intelligence behind Kara’s strong but valid arguments, the way she stood her ground and smartly threaded her way through the conversation, the precise and insightful point of view about her books …

“She’s alright,” Cat eventually lets out, knowing Lois will be able to hear what she doesn’t say.

“High praise, coming from you!” Lois sasses, chuckling. “Alright, so when is your actual first interview?”

“On Wednesday, at 10am,” Cat answers. It dawns on her that she didn’t even need to check her schedule, like she usually does. Kara must have made a stronger impression than she first thought. “By the way … I’m guessing her cousin is Clark Kent?”

The silence on the other end of the line is uncharacteristic, which is answer enough.

“Does she know about you?”

“She doesn’t. He never told her when we were together and now that we aren’t, there’s no point,” Lois says, through a quiet sigh. “They have … a complicated relationship.”

“Alright,” Cat nods, choosing not to insist. She’s never liked Kansas, and especially not after he broke up with Lois. A crashing sound suddenly echoes down the line, pulling her out of her thoughts. 

“Barnaby! For fuck sake,” Lois groans, and Cat hears some strange noises before her friend comes back on the line. “I gotta go Cat, the beast broke one of my favorite vases and I need to fix it before he hurts himself. Stupid animal.”

“Bye Lois, have fun!” Cat can’t resist. She doesn’t have much occasion to make fun of her best-friend. It’s usually the other way around, so for once, she enjoys it.

“Asshole. Bye Cat.” Lois retorts before hanging up, leaving Cat to laugh into the falling night.

\---

Cat hates it when people aren’t punctual.

She absolutely abhors the anxiety that comes with waiting for someone and not knowing when or if they will show up because the set time has come and gone. It makes her feel all kinds of emotions she’d rather keep at bay, along with the unwanted memories tied to it. 

Kara said she would be here at 10am sharp but now it’s close to 11 am and she’s still not here. She’s sent no text, there’s no missed call and she didn’t even answer the one message Cat hesitantly sent to know if everything was alright. 

She’s been pacing for 10 minutes already, under the placid watch of Barnaby, who’s sitting on the couch and occasionally licking his paw to clean behind his ears.  
He startles when Cat’s phone suddenly rings. She’s so mad she doesn’t even think of checking the caller ID before picking up.

“I hope you have a very good excuse for how late you are.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

The unexpected man’s voice is a gut-punch and it makes all the air in her lung leave at once.

“Christopher?” She quickly pulls the phone away to look at the screen and winces when she realizes that it is, indeed, her ex-husband. “Why are you calling? Is Carter alright?” 

“Why do you always assume something happened to the boy whenever I call?” Christopher protests, sounding whiny. 

Cat’s pacing increases, in speed and intensity, as she starts gesturing around with her free hand.

“Maybe because it’s almost always the case? What do you want, Christopher, why are you calling?” Cat attacks, not in the mood to listen to another pathetic excuse from the man who cheated on her with a 19 year old girl. 

On the couch, Barnaby stopped licking his paw, but now his tail is moving dangerously fast as he watches her come and go in front of the coffee table. Cat distractingly thinks he looks like he’s going to pounce.

“Listen, I need a favor,” Christopher starts. Cat knows what’s coming and her anger rises and flares as he keeps going. “I got an impromptu meeting in Hong Kong on Saturday and I have to be on a plane by Friday evening. I need to drop off Carter Friday morning.”

“So far, you didn’t ask for any favor,” Cat states, coldly. 

“Come on, don’t be a bitch,” Christopher groans, clearly annoyed. 

“Fuck off, Christopher,” Cat retorts in the same tone. She’s so focused on directing her anger at her ex through the phone she doesn’t see the way Barnaby’s ears bend backward. 

“I’ll drop him off at the house around 11am. I need you to be there to get him,” Christopher states, through clenched teeth. “Some of us have a real job, we don’t all have the luxury to lounge around in a house while pretending to write.” 

Cat is about to let out a string of extremely creative insults when the bell rings across the apartment, distracting her for a second.

“Hold on, someone’s at the door,” Cat barks in the phone. She misses the way Barnaby jumps on the floor and darts to the foyer after her. She’s too enraged to think straight and when she opens the door, she’s ready to bite the head off of whoever dared to disturb her.

Her anger vanishes like ice under the sun at the sight that greets her. 

Kara’s drenched in rain, so much that the trench she’s wearing looks as black as China ink.  
Her hair has lost all of its golden halo, gathered into a messy, soaked wet ponytail that drips almost non-stop on her back. Behind the glasses blurred by rain drops, Cat sees blue eyes that are strangely dulled, almost absent. There are dark stains underneath that betray Kara cried only moments ago. She does try to smile but the result is a twisted grimace, full of pain and grief. 

“Cat? Cat, are you there? Cat, for crying out loud, I don’t have all day!” Christopher’s voice echoes through the phone, dimmed but still loud enough to make Kara startle. Instinctively, Cat places a hand over the phone to mute him. 

“Miss Danvers? Are you alright?” Cat asks, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. She wasn’t expecting the reporter anymore, not an hour after their scheduled meeting and especially given the absence of excuse. However, now that she’s facing the girl, she can see something’s wrong. 

A black shadow suddenly darts between Cat’s legs and makes its way out of the apartment. It takes a moment, maybe two, before she can understand what just happened. In her surprise, she removes her hand from around the phone.

“Barnaby! No, come back!” Cat suddenly yells, a feeling of impending doom creeping around her heart. 

Lois has trusted her with the cat for a few days, while she had to deal with a PR emergency that sent her to London at the last minute, and she really, really doesn’t want to lose her best-friend’s girlfriend’s cat. 

“Barnaby?! Who the fuck is Barnaby?” Christopher asks, sounding outraged.

Kara, for her part, immediately drops her bag and spins on her heels to go after the cat, who just disappeared into the stairwell. Cat curses out loud at whoever left the door open and goes after them, but not without disconnecting her call first. 

She follows the wet trail Kara left, and after a couple minutes, she steps onto the very last floor of the building. The water on the ground leads to the rooftop door and Cat gasps when she sees it’s open, afraid something will happen to Barnaby. She figures he can’t jump anywhere but since it’s pouring rain outside, he could still slip and fall. 

Narrowing her eyes to try to discern something, she thinks she sees a shadow move in the distance but she’s not sure. She’s considering stepping outside when a silhouette starts to emerge from the deluge, growing closer with every step it takes. 

“I found the cat, Miss Grant,” Kara’s voice pierces through the rain. A moment later, the girl steps closer to the door and Cat can finally see her properly. 

The rain comes beating down on her but she doesn’t even seem to notice it.  
She’s got her arms protectively closed around a bulge in her trench and as she takes another step, Cat sees Barnaby’s eyes, wide and terrified, emerge from between the lapel of Kara’s coat. 

“Oh, thank God!” Cat breathes out her relief. “Come on, let’s go back to the penthouse.”

Kara carefully steps into the stairway, mindful of the cat in her arms, and closes the door behind her before following after Cat.

Ten minutes later, Kara is standing in Cat’s kitchen and gently rubbing a dry towel over Barnaby, who seems content to let her. Cat watches as the reporter, still soaking wet and dripping with rain, whispers to the cat as she takes care of him. 

“I have some clothes you could fit in, if you want, and you’re welcome to use the bathroom in the guestroom to take a shower,” Cat offers, from the other side of the countertop. 

“Thank you, Miss Grant, but I’m alright,” Kara answers mechanically, even though she is most definitely not.

Cat wants to insist but she doesn’t know how. She’s never been a people person, social awareness doesn’t come easily to her, and she doesn’t know Kara enough to guess what she needs. 

“Can I at least offer you a cup of coffee, or tea? Or something stronger, even?” Cat tentatively tries again.

Kara looks up and Cat’s heart clenches in her chest. The grief she can read in the disturbingly blue eyes is heart wrenching. It feels like she’s drowning in an ocean of loss and pain, pulled apart by tides of unbearable sadness. The tragedy written in the blue of Kara’s irises makes Cat ache for her.

“I … I’d like a cup of tea, if it’s not much trouble,” Kara says, sounding hesitant. 

Cat instantly springs into action and grabs the kettle to fill it with water. While it boils, she goes to find the boxes of tea she keeps in a cupboard and opens it to present Kara with choices.

“Pick your poison,” Cat says with what she hopes is an engaging smile.

Kara stops drying the cat for a moment, long enough to choose a bag of lemon tea. Cat nods and moves away to make the tea, letting the reporter take care of the Maine Coon.  
She can hear Barnaby start purring again before the kettle whistles and it makes her smile. She’s read somewhere a cat’s purrs are used in therapy to help with sadness and pain and she secretly hopes it’s working for Kara, even just a little. 

“I didn’t know you have a cat,” Kara eventually says, softly. 

“The high-maintenance, cheeky cat here is not mine,” Cat shakes her head, throwing a fondly exasperated look at the animal. “He belongs to Lana Lang, Lois’ assistant. I’m just cat-sitting at the last minute. He was with Lois until yesterday, but she got called to London and I inherited him until she comes back.”

“Oh, really?” Kara looks up to meet Cat’s eyes, sounding surprised. “Is Lana away or something? I had a phone call with her before our first meeting and she sounded alright?” 

“Oh she is, it’s just that her sister’s staying with her for a few weeks and she’s highly allergic, hence the cat-sitting,” Cat explains while slowly pouring hot water into a couple of mugs. “I’m more of a dog person, but I suppose Barnaby is acceptable, for a cat.” 

“You’re a dog person?” Kara asks, a brow arched in surprise. “I admit, I didn’t peg you for an animal person at all.” 

“I’m full or surprise,” Cat smirks, slightly relieved to see that Kara is talking and slowly edging toward bantering even. It’s a familiar ground, one she can stand on without second-guessing everything she says. “Here’s your tea. Careful, it’s piping hot.” 

She places the mug next to the cat on the countertop and then sits on a stool, watching as Kara gently rub Barnaby’s head with a dry corner of the towel. The Maine Coon is purring so strongly it makes the marble surface vibrate, ever so slightly. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to change?” Cat asks when she notices Kara’s shaking.

“I’m fine,” Kara dismisses her once more. “Are you ready for the interview?”

Cat frowns.  
She can see that Kara is in no shape to conduct an interview. She remembers the black stains she’s seen under the girl’s eyes when she first opened the door. The rain has washed them away but there’s still some red around Kara’s eyes and the heartbreak is still written in her irises. 

“We’ll do this another time, Kara,” Cat says, using the girl’s first name for the first time. “You’re not fine, despite how you’re trying to convince yourself that you are. It’s alright not to be, sometimes. Besides, I need to make a phone call to deal with a … situation.”

Cat glances at the phone turned face down at the end of the countertop. It’s been blowing up with texts, missed calls and voicemails from her ex and she knows she’ll have to deal with it at some point. 

“I’m sorry about today, Miss Grant. I should have called but I … forgot my phone.” Kara murmurs, sounding genuinely apologetic. 

“Don’t be,” Cat dismisses the apology with a gentle flick of her wrist. “It’s just not a good day, for any of us apparently. We’ll reschedule.”

“Thank you, Miss Grant,” Kara nods, finally removing the towel from around Barnaby. 

The cat still looks a little damp in some spots but for the most part, his fur has returned to its fluffy, silky nature and he seems very pleased with himself. He instantly turns to push Kara’s hand with his head, asking for more caresses. 

“My name is Cat, by the way,” Cat offers. “Well, Catherine to be exact but nobody, aside from my mother, calls me by my full name.” 

“Cat Grant,” Kara tries out, looking up to meet Cat’s eyes. The way she pronounces her name pulls at Cat’s inside, making a warm feeling blossom in her lower belly. It’s soft and distant but it’s there. “Wait. CatCo Publishing … It’s your own publishing house, isn’t it? You’re the CEO!” 

“I am, indeed,” Cat smiles, proudly. “Lois is the public face and to be fair, she does handle a lot of the business but I’m the head of the company, yes.” 

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Kara breathes out, clearly impressed now. She’s distractingly petting and pushing Barnaby away, because he keeps trying to climb on her shoulders. 

“See? Full of surprises,” Cat points out, sitting more comfortably on the stool, finding herself surprisingly at ease in front of Kara.

For the first time since she arrived, Kara smiles and genuinely so. She even lets out a chuckle that echoes in Cat’s kitchen.

“That you are.”


	2. CHAPTER 2

Kara looks up from her phone and stares at the number displayed on the side of a huge and intimidating gate. 

She glances back at the email and then checks again, certain she’s missed something but according to all the information she has, she’s in the right place. She shakes her head and pulls out her contacts app, quickly dialing Lana Lang.

“Kara Danvers, hello! What can I do for you?” Lana greets and once again, Kara is a bit taken aback by the energy her voice conveys.

“Hi, uh … I’m calling to make sure this is not a mistake …” Kara explains, looking at her surroundings. ”I’m at the address you’ve sent me, in Midvale, but it’s like, lost in the middle of nowhere?”

Aside from the imposing gate caught in between two old greystone pillars, all she can see is green. A thick, natural hedge is flanking the pillars on each side, sometimes overshadowed by magnificent old trees of various kinds. On the other side, a forest is spread along the narrow and barely maintained road and the air is buzzing with the sounds of birds and insects living their lives, unbothered. 

“I swear, it makes the ultra-modern gate look like some kind of spaceship, everything else is natural and incredibly green” Kara whispers, slightly uncomfortable in this unexpected setting.

“You’re in the right place then,” Lana confirms, sounding unfazed. “Ring the bell, Miss Grant should be expecting you. She doesn’t like it when people are late, you should hurry.” 

“Are you telling me Cat Grant, CEO of CatCo Publishing and the most famous author of all time is living … here, in the middle of nowhere?” Kara asks, still wondering if it’s not some kind of elaborate joke designed to make her pay for the one time she almost lost the woman’s cat. She wouldn’t put it past Lana. 

“Exactly,” Lana says. “Now hurry up, ring the bell and go interview Miss Grant.” 

She hangs up without adding anything.

“Rude,” Kara grumbles, starting to feel annoyed at all the people who keep hanging up on her. 

She pushes her bike forward to get close to one of the pillars.   
The system has a camera, along with an interphone, and she swallows against her nerves before pushing the only button on display.

“Hi! I was wondering how long it would take for you to ring!”

Kara startles and blinks at the young man’s voice that greets her. She looks straight at the camera and narrows her eyes, wondering who’s talking to her.

“I’m Carter Grant,” the voice chuckles, clearly amused. “Cat’s son.” 

“Oh!” Kara breathes out, blinking at the camera before offering a shy smile. “Kara Danvers, pleasure to meet you!”

“Come on in,” Carter says as the gate slowly starts to slide to the side. “Mom’s on the phone but she’s expecting you. Nice bike!” 

“Uh, thanks!” Kara says before the line gets disconnected. 

She climbs on her bike and starts pedaling, slowly entering Cat Grant’s domain.

The wheels of her bike stumble a little on the unevenly paved alley leading further into the domain and she notices the right side is bordered by a well maintained and elevated hedge. On the other side, the field of evergreens and freshly cut grass is elegantly fading into the old grey pavement. Trees of various kinds are naturally blending in on both sides, providing some refreshing shade from time to time as Kara cycles underneath.

Eventually, she arrives on a large paved terrace in front of an old-stone colonial house that looks like it has been built to perfectly blend into the green landscape. The building itself is half covered in bright-green ivy and it makes the white window frames stand out, Kara distractingly notices, blown away by the size of the property. 

The main door opens and a young boy exits the house, clad in a pair of navy shorts. He’s holding a book in one hand and carelessly steps onto the stone pavement to come greet her.

“Hi, Kara! Nice to actually meet you,” Carter says, extending a hand. “I heard a lot about you and how you almost lost Lana’s cat!” 

Kara huffs and climbs down her bike before accepting Carter’s handshake.

“I didn’t lose him! I went back to retrieve him, on a rooftop, in the pouring rain!” Kara defends herself with a quiet laugh. “Pleasure to meet you too, Carter. Where should I put my bike?”

“Oh, leave it against the hedge over here, it’s fine,” Carter gestures toward the right side of the alley before moving toward the door. “Mom’s in her office but we’ll wait for her by the pool.”

Kara nods and follows the young man into the house, curious to see where Cat Grant lives and writes.

While the outside of the house might look ancient, the inside has been redone to fit a much more modern mindset. Kara takes in the huge rooms with high ceilings, the open floors, the minimalist lines and all the bookcases cleverly inserted in every available space. The modern and tasteful furnishings are harmoniously matching the white walls and darker floors. 

Carter guides her through a big foyer, across a living room and then through the open French doors leading to the immense, semi-circular pool. 

“Here,” Carter gestures to the table underneath a big beach-umbrella. “Help yourself, there’s homemade lemonade or iced tea if you want.”

“Thank you!” Kara says, removing her backpack and placing it on the floor under the table. “Can I pour you something?”

Carter looks slightly surprised at the offer. He looks at her with wide blue eyes and then a smile graces his lips.

“I’d like some lemonade, yes, thanks!” 

“Sure thing,” Kara nods, pouring two glasses of lemonade and handing one over to Carter. He takes it with his free hand. “What are you reading?”

“Uh, oh …” Carter glances at the book he’s holding. “Book three of the Belgariad, it’s a fantasy saga ...”

“You read David and Leigh Eddings?” Kara suddenly comes alive, forgetting all about the huge house lost in the middle of nowhere. “I loved those books!”

Carter looks positively thrown off for a moment, clearly having not expected her to know much about fantasy at all. 

“I even read the stand alones they wrote about Belgarath and Polgara,” Kara adds, aware that she’s being studied above the rim of Carter’s glass. 

“You have? How are they?” Carter asks, curiosity getting the better of him. Kara assumes he’s like his mother, a little weary of reporters and journalists. His eyes, as blue as the pool’s water, are shining with wonder but there’s some distance too. Kara wonders how old he truly is.

“They’re excellent if you want to know more about the previous sagas but as stand-alones, they’re not that good.” Kara replies, truthfully.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Carter nods, still a bit distant but clearly intrigued. “You read fantasy?” 

“I do, I love fantasy books,” Kara smiles, sitting down on one of the chairs around the table. Carter does the same. “I don’t like The Lord of the Rings though, it’s a bit too … Stuffy, for me.”

“I agree,” Carter excitedly adds, his whole face lighting up at her words. “I never got past the first three chapters but I did read The Hobbit.”

“You did? Whow, I didn’t even manage it! How is it?”

Carter takes a big gulp of his lemonade, sets the glass down and then proceeds to explain, in great detail, how great the book is and why.

\---

Cat hears the voices the moment she steps foot in the living room. 

The open French doors let in the excited chatter of her son and the woman Cat recognizes as Kara. It surprises her because Carter has always been a little shy and kept to himself, never one to freely chat with strangers. Yet, from the intensity of her son’s voice, she can tell he’s deeply invested in the topic, which appears to be fantasy books. 

She checks herself in a mirror, adjusting her blue dress and making sure she looks presentable, before exiting the house to join her son and her guest.

“Miss Danvers, I see you found the house,” Cat greets, stepping into the pool area and walking toward the two people gathered underneath the beach-umbrella. “I trust you had a safe trip?”

“Hello Miss Grant,” Kara smiles warmly at her and again, Cat feels a strong pull down in her lower belly. “The trip was uneventful and may I say, you have a lovely house! Not at all what I was expecting, I admit …”

Cat smirks and sits down next to her son, who hands her a glass of iced tea.

“Thanks sweetheart,” Cat says, smiling at the young boy. “Miss Danvers, I thought you would be used to it by now … After all, I am full of surprise!” 

Kara laughs, eyes sparkling with genuine humor, and Cat smiles in return. 

“Can I go back in now, mom?” Carter asks, waving his book in her direction.

“Sure, sweetheart.”

“Come and say bye before you leave?” Carter turns to ask Kara, sounding hopeful.

It takes both Cat and Kara by surprise. Cat because she’s never seen her son connect so fast with anyone and Kara because she hadn’t been expecting it either. 

“Uh, sure thing!” Kara says, after a beat, glancing at Cat to make sure she’s not overstepping. Cat gives her a subtle nod to let her know it’s perfectly alright. “Enjoy the book!”

“Thanks!” Carter answers before disappearing into the house.

Cat focuses back on Kara and studies her, while slowly sipping at her iced tea.

“You look better,” Cat eventually says, noticing Kara’s relaxed features. “I’m sorry I had to fly you to Midvale on such short notice but my ex-husband unexpectedly shortened his time with Carter. I didn’t want my son to spend time in National City if he didn’t have to … I hope it’s alright.” 

Kara waves the apology away and smiles.

“It’s perfectly alright. He’s a fine young man and he has very good taste in books, not that it’s a surprise …” 

“Well, it kind of is,” Cat counters with a chuckle. “I’ve never really liked fantasy and these days, it’s all he seems to read. I didn’t know you liked the genre.”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, Miss Grant,” Kara laughs, amused. 

Cat thinks it’s nothing but the truth and she finds herself suddenly wanting to know more about Kara Danvers. She shakes her head against the sudden and unexpected feeling.

“True. That should probably change …” Cat says, sounding thoughtful. “I mean, given that we are going to spend quite some time together, I sure hope I will learn some things about you.”

“I don’t know,” Kara smirks. “I can be very mysterious, when I want to.”

“That makes two of us!” Cat laughs, raising her glass for an impromptu toast. Kara does the same and they both sip their drink in silence for a moment.

“Where are you staying?” Cat eventually asks to break the silence that threatens to become uncomfortable. 

“I’m … actually from around here,” Kara replies, slowly. “My family has a beach-house, south-west of the town, I’m staying there.” 

“You’re from Midvale?” Cat asks, thrown off by the coincidence. 

“It’s complicated,” Kara eludes, suddenly starting to close off.

“Alright,” Cat appeases her. “Come on, let’s head inside for the interview, it’s too hot here.”

Cat stands up and waits for Kara to pick up her backpack before leading her into the house. They turn left after the French doors and follow the wall until Cat turns left again, guiding Kara into an octagonal room.

There is a window on five of the soft-grey walls around the room and two are hosting built in bookcases full of books. Kara figures the last wall has been destroyed to create the open entrance. In the middle of the space, a modern charcoal-grey couch and three matching armchairs are forming a circle around a huge coffee table. 

“Have a seat, I’ll be right in with the drinks,” Cat explains before walking back to the living room.

Kara takes a step toward the furniture and puts her backpack against the side of one of the armchairs before moving to admire the bookcase on the left. It’s filled with all kinds of books and they don’t seem to be following any kind of order, which surprises Kara.   
She’d half-expected some color-coded system or even an alphabetical one but the random chaos she’s facing is definitely not what she had in mind.   
Art books are neighboring political novels and autobiographies of various celebrities are thrown in the middle of thrillers and literary novels. Kara notices that not even books by the same author are gathered in one spot, and are instead haphazardly spread across the bookshelves. 

“Another surprise?” Cat asks, placing the tray on the coffee table in the middle of the room before taking a seat on the couch.

“Yes, I was expecting a system,” Kara nods, still fascinated by the chaos reigning in the bookcases. “Any kind of system really but if there is one, I’m not able to see it.”

“There is none,” Cat confirms, amused. “I just put the books where I find space, which is becoming rarer as time passes …”

“Are you telling me you’re lacking space, in a house like this?” Kara gestures around, sounding incredulous.

“Not yet, but I fear that someday, that might be the case,” Cat nods, enjoying Kara’s skeptical expression. “Now have a seat, let’s get started on the interview.”

Kara takes another glance at the bookshelves before coming to sit on the armchair, facing Cat. She pulls out her notebook from her bag and clicks a pen.

“Alright, Miss Grant ...”

\---

“So, how did it go?”

“It was amazing,” Kara gushes, only pausing her eating long enough to finish her sentence. “She’s so insightful, so talented and so incredibly smart!”

“Your crush is showing again,” Alex teases, before putting a piece of fish in her mouth. 

“Girls,” Eliza tempers, glaring at her eldest before focusing on Kara. “I take it she actually answered your questions, this time?” 

“She did, yes,” Kara nods, turning her head and looking at her sister. “She was clearly in her element, at ease with herself in her own house.”

“Which is not surprising, given the house itself,” Alex groans, sounding slightly jealous. “I’ve always wondered who owned the Old-Stone manor … Never in a lifetime would I have guessed it was hers.” 

“Wait,” Kara blinks. “You knew there was a house there? How? I mean, it’s the first time I ever ventured to that side of Midvale!” 

“Oh it’s not new no,” Alex looks at her mother before focusing on Kara. “It’s pretty far from here on a bike but the forest there is a very good ground to train for cross country. One day, I found the gate, but it was totally happenstance. It’s been redone since I first saw it because it used to be a see-through metallic one, rusty and falling in ruin, flanked by two crumbling stone pillars … That’s how I saw the house.”

“But yesterday, when I told you where I was going, you didn’t react” Kara protests, slightly hurt. 

“Hey, don’t blame me!” Alex groans, rolling her eyes. “It just didn’t click. I told you, I never could have guessed the Old-Stone manor belonged to the mysterious C. Grant!”

“By the way, this is strictly confidential, Alex. I mean it!” Kara states, sounding alarmed. “In Midvale, they just know her as Cat Grant, CEO of a company somewhere between National City and Metropolis and they’ve never connected the dots between her and the infamous C. Grant, most famous author of our time. It has to stay that way; if it leaks because of me, I’ll end up buried under so many lawsuits that my great great great grandchildren will still be paying for it.”

“Relax, Kara,” Alex sighs, shaking her head at her sister. “I do know what a confidentiality agreement is and Mom works for a secret government agency. Cat’s secret is safe with us.” 

“That’s true,” Kara relaxes, smiling at Eliza before sipping at her wine. “How long are you staying with us, Alex?”

“Already eager to get rid of me, I see how it is,” Alex laughs, waving her sister’s protests away. “I’m flying back tomorrow, but I’m thinking of coming back for the 4th of July, make it a long weekend.”

“I would love that,” Eliza warmly replies, putting a hand over Alex’s and looking over at Kara. “Will you still be here?”

“I think so?” Kara frowns, unsure. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take with Miss Grant but since the 4th of July is only ten days away, I’d say I’ll still be around yes.” 

“Perfect, I would love to have you both with me for the holiday!” Eliza cheers, just as Kara’s phone starts to ring.

“Sorry, sorry! I think it’s Lois, she’s probably calling to know how the interview went …” Kara apologizes and goes to retrieve her phone in her bag. “Do you mind if I answer? It’s going to be quick, I promise.”

“Go ahead, sweetheart,” Eliza smiles. “I’ll get everything ready for dessert.” 

“Thanks!” Kara waves and exits the house to go sit on the swing at the end of the porch. “Hi Lois.”

“Hello Kara,” Lois greets her, voice warm and engaging. “I’ve heard great things about today’s session! How did it go, for you?”

“It went very well. You were right when you said maybe being in her natural habitat would help,” Kara explains, pushing with the tip of her shoe to make the swing move. “She answered pretty much everything I asked today, and then some. I’m supposed to go back soon, this time with all my equipment to take pictures.”

“Wonderful!” Lois sounds very pleased. “I know she can be a hardass sometimes and I have no doubt she’ll have a few more bad days before you can gather everything but don’t give up.”

“I won’t,” Kara vows. “By the way, sorry again about Lana’s cat. Is he okay?”

“Don’t worry about that incident,” Lois laughs. “He’s snoring on my very white couch-cushions, so I’d say he’s perfectly alright!”

“You’re cat-sitting him again?” Kara asks, surprised. 

“Not exactly,” Lois replies, sounding a little hesitant this time. Kara thinks she detects some embarrassment in the tone but she can’t be sure. 

“Oh, okay,” Kara says, not knowing what to add. She wonders what Lois means but it would be intrusive to ask.

She doesn’t have to. She gets her answer when another voice, one she’s familiar with, echoes in the distance on Lois’ side. 

"Lois, dinner is ready. Are you done with your phone call?” 

“One minute,” Lois retorts. Kara hears muffled voices before Lois comes back on the line once more. “I have to go but I’ll call you after your next session to hear how it went. Oh, one last thing.”

Kara, who is trying not to laugh, tries her best to focus on Lois’ voice. 

“Cat hates being in front of the camera,” Lois explains, slowly. “She’s probably going to give you a hard time, but I believe in you. Don’t let her drive you away.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” Kara says, already picturing the challenge ahead of her. She’s struggled to get Cat to trust her and to answer her questions, now she will have to fight once more to get a couple of usable photographs to go with the exclusive. “I get why you told me not to give up on her now …”

“Hey, no pain, no gain,” Lois laughs. “Alright, good night Kara, let’s talk again soon.”

“Bye Lois, say hi to Lana for me,” Kara says, finally laughing.

She hangs up without giving Lois any time to reply.

\---

“No.”

“But, Miss Grant …”

“No.”

Cat doesn’t miss Kara’s frustrated sigh but chooses not to comment on it.   
She keeps her eyes trained on the screen in front of her, once again trying to fix the passage she’s been working on since before she first met the reporter. 

“Mom, you’re being impossible,” Carter muses from his spot on the floor, where he’s trying to put together a very elaborate Kapla construction. “Can’t you just let Kara do her job?”

“No.”

“Sorry Kara, she won’t budge when she’s like this,” Carter sighs. “She’s been struggling with a chunk of her next book for a while now. It comes and goes …”

“Thanks buddy,” Kara replies, sounding dejected. “Mind if I join you? I might be able to help with your bridge ...”

“Does that mean you’re staying?” 

“Unless your mother decides to physically throw me out, yes.”

Cat sharply looks up from her screen and falls into Kara’s unrelenting blue eyes. 

“Don’t tempt me,” Cat growls, her hands still on her keyboard. “You can stay, as long as you’re not taking pictures.” 

Kara shrugs and turns to join Carter on the floor. 

The two of them instantly start whispering about architecture and the laws of physics required to make the structure hold. Kara intently listens to Carter, asks questions and follows his lead and they seem comfortable in each-other’s presence. Cat has never seen her son take to anyone so quickly and so easily. He’s usually quiet and reserved, avoiding people as much as possible and even his teachers all say he never tries to bond with anyone in his class.

Somehow, Kara Danvers managed to get through to him.

“Do you mind if I take a picture?” Kara asks Carter, who instantly frowns. “Oh no, not of you. I just want to capture the structure.” 

“Sure, go ahead,” Carter easily allows, moving away from the construction. 

Cat watches as Kara gets her camera and positions herself on the floor, lying on the side and orienting the telescope from under.

“Why are you going for that strange angle?” Carter asks, curious. He moves around to come lay next to Kara, trying to understand the choice. 

“Because I want to catch the light coming in from the windows through the kapla you used to reproduce the suspensions holding the bridge,” Kara explains, snapping a few shots before handing the camera over. “Here, have a look.”

“Whoa,” Carter breathes out, sounding extremely impressed. “Mom, look, it’s amazing.”

Carter bounces to her desk and extends the camera in front of him. Cat, who curiously watched the whole scene, glances at the picture on display and gasps. 

The structure looks like a real bridge in Kara’s shot, the wood of the kapla exploding with warm light. In the background, the sunlight coming in from the windows hits her blond curls like a divine halo the resulting glow is so intense her face disappears into the golden shades, a shadow caught in a counter-light. 

“I thought I said no pictures,” Cat whispers, trying to sound at least a little mad.

Kara simply offers a sheepish smile but her eyes sparkle with mischief. She knew exactly what she was doing, Cat realises. She can’t deny that the result is stunning, strangely poetic even, but she’s still a little annoyed at herself for having not seen it coming. 

“Come on mom, give her a chance,” Carter pleads, moving the camera to switch to another picture. “Hey, who’s this?”

The screen now displays a picture of Kara, smiling from ear to ear while being kissed on the cheek by two women. The one on the right has long blond hair and freckles all over her profile and bare shoulders while the other one wears a short, auburn bob above a red and black flannel shirt. In the background, Cat sees the ocean reflecting a sunset that highlights Kara’s tan and golden hair. 

“Oh, it’s from my birthday last year,” Kara laughs, glancing at the screen above Carter's shoulder. “Good memories.” 

Kara looks happy in the picture. Cat suddenly notices how the blond woman on the right has her hand resting above Kara’s heart. The gesture, even through the pixels of a crystal screen, feels overly intimate and something unpleasant churns in Cat’s stomach. 

“Mom, come on, you have to let Kara take some shots for the interview,” Carter insists, having lost his interest for the pictures in the camera’s memory. “She’s really good and besides, you agreed on it when you signed the contract.” 

“How do you know that?” Cat narrows his eyes at him, suddenly wondering if Lois went as far as to involve her son in her scheming.

“You complained about it for two weeks straight,” Carter deadpans, throwing her an unimpressed look. It makes Kara chuckle behind him but when Cat glares up at her, she hides it behind a cough and regains seriousness.

She knows he has a point.   
She realises she’s making it a lot more difficult than it has to be but it’s something she can’t control. She’s always hated being photographed and the idea that some of the pictures Kara will take will appear in a magazine is making her anxiety flare up every time she thinks about it. 

“How about you take the pictures?” Kara suddenly says, taking everyone by surprise.

“What?” Carter squeaks, clearly dumbfounded.

“What do you mean?” Cat frowns, confused.

“You hate being in front of the camera, right?” Kara insists. “How about behind it?”

“We can do that?” Carter wonders, sounding thoughtful.

“The latest contract says it doesn’t have to be pictures of you,” Kara explains, pointing at Cat. “I mean, it’d be great if we had at least one but since it’s not stipulated in the contract, we can work around it.”

“What do you say mom?” Carter asks, turning a hopeful face to her. “Sounds like fun!”

“Tell you what,” Kara adds, sounding inspired. “It doesn’t have to be a stuffy photoshoot. The results are not so great in those things anyway. Instead, let’s just have fun. I have two professional cameras here, so one for each of you, and I’ll use my phone if I need to. I can teach you some nice tricks, about light, colors and I can even show you how to make natural filters to make your pictures more interesting!” 

“I don’t know,” Cat hesitates, unsure. She can see that Carter is already onboard and she is also tempted but she thinks she might be a little too old to play hookie.

“Carter says you’ve been struggling to write,” Kara slowly points out. “Take a break. Look at it from another angle, try another way of expressing yourself, for once. It can’t hurt, and who knows, it could even help.”

“It’s always better than to stay stuck,” Carter adds, nodding to Kara’s words. 

“You two are impossible,” Cat mumbles, trying to fight back a smile. “Alright, let’s try.”

“Yes!” Carter raises his hand in the air. 

Kara doesn’t even think twice before giving him a high-five.

\---

Kara gapes at the gigantic plasma screen in front of her.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Carter chuckles next to her before guiding her further into the room. “It used to be some kind of storage room and when mom bought the house, a few years ago, she wanted to turn it into a book room. I weighed in, saying we already had too many book rooms in the house and that the space would be better used as a movie room.”

Kara can only nodd, taking in the massive couch shaped like a U, facing the TV, and the wall of shelves hosting an incredible collection of movies and video games, as well as some music albums. Her eyes stop on a strange machine pushed against the far right wall, caught in between two high windows letting in the falling sunlight of a summer day. 

“Is that …” Kara starts, crossing the room to get closer.

“An old popcorn maker, yes,” Carter laughs, coming to close the curtains. “It’s a gift from my dad. Mom wasn’t too happy with it at first but in the end …” 

“She adopted it, didn’t she?” Kara laughs, thinking she’s learning a lot about Cat through her son. 

She’d never have guessed Cat has a sweet tooth if it wasn’t for Carter. She mentally stored the information in her mind to be able to add it to her notes later. At this point, she just consigns all the details she can find, she’ll have time to make sense of them later. 

“So, how do we do this?” Carter asks, going to sit on the center of the couch. He quickly discards his shoes and sits crossed legged against the back cushions. 

“I just need to connect my laptop to the screen,” Kara explains, pulling her MacBook from her backpack and opening it. “I assume this is a smart TV, so I just need to share my screen while I connect the card-reader to the laptop.”

“It is a smart TV,” Carter confirms, searching around for the remote. “Here, let me turn it on.”

Kara quickly types her password and opens the photo app she uses to centralize all of her work, from all the devices she uses. She selects three files, the two cameras and her phone, and opens them all to display the pictures.

“Nice!” Carter whistles, as a picture of himself appears on the TV. Kara looks up and smiles, pleased to see the format of the pictures is rendering nicely on the big screen. “I didn’t even see you take this one!”

On the TV, the photograph shows Carter taking a picture of his mother from the balcony of a room on the second floor. The framing is aesthetically pleasing, with half of the house disappearing behind green ivy while the stone on the other half glowed from the gentle sunlight of a late afternoon. Carter himself is perfectly centered on the balcony and leaning over to capture his mother walking toward the open French doors right underneath him. Cat’s deep red dress, her glowing blond curls and the visible tan on her skin all contrast sharply with the rest of the organic elements in the picture. 

“You were clearly absorbed in your own task,” Kara smiles, typing on her keyboard to pull out one of Carter’s own pictures of the scene. “Here, look at our combined work.”

The photograph on the right shows Cat from Carter’s angle on the balcony, her features soft and relaxed, the shadow of a smile floating on her lips. The summer light at her back gives her a strange glow and her shadow stretches in front of her, not fitting into the frame. 

“It’s so pleasing!” Carter murmurs, seemingly enthralled by the images on the TV. “Look, we even managed to get the symmetry right!”

“Indeed,” Kara praises him, having already noticed how both photographs were complementing each-other. “You have an eye for this, buddy.”

Kara presses a key on her keyboard and pulls up another picture on the screen. 

“Whoa …” Carter breathes out, sounding stunned.

The photograph shows a silhouette, the bright sun shining at its back. Only the sunbeams playing through golden curls betray the fact it’s Cat. A golden halo shines brightly around her head and shapes her shoulders but her face is totally indiscernible. 

“Mom looks almost mythical, here,” Carter notices, echoing Kara’s own thoughts. She didn’t see the result before, having blindly shot for most of the afternoon, but she finds herself extremely proud of this one picture. 

“I could do some work on it, adjust contrasts and lighting, but I really love this shot!” Kara smiles, eyes still studying the photograph. 

“Oh.”

Cat’s gasp, soft and quiet, still, it makes Kara startle.   
She glances at the entrance and watches, slightly anxious, as Cat stares at the TV. She looks shocked but Kara doesn’t know how to interpret it, if it’s a good or bad sign, if she likes it or hates it. 

“When did you take this picture?” Cat eventually asks, taking a step forward into the room. “I don’t remember you being so close that you could shoot this …”

“Uh,” Kara tries not to squirm under Cat’s focused look. “We switched tools with Carter for a moment during the afternoon and I used a … good telescope for this.” 

Cat arches a brow at that and Kara holds her breath. She’s half-expecting a temper tantrum about the fact she kind of broke the tacit agreement they had so when Cat smiles and nods, she can’t hold back her relieved sigh.

“It’s a really good shot. I love it,” Cat eventually punctuates, looking back at the image of herself on the screen.

“Does that mean …” Kara slowly starts, figuring it’s now or never. “Does that mean it’s one I could eventually use in the article?” 

Kara thinks she went too far when Cat suddenly frowns, all traces of awe and approval quickly leaving her face. 

“She’s got a point, mom,” Carter chimes in from his spot on the couch. “No one can recognize you from this shot and at the same time, it’s a picture of you. It’s a smart way to fit the terms of your agreement with Lois …” 

“When did you become so smart?” Cat turns a slightly sarcastic brow to her son.

“I’ve always been smart,” Carter shrugs with a smug smile. “Now, come on. Let’s see the rest of the pictures! You can choose the ones you want to keep for the article and maybe we can keep them all?” 

“Of course you can,” Kara quickly replies, feeling immensely grateful for Carter’s help today. “I’ll leave a copy of all the memory cards with you after we’re done reviewing the pictures; unless you want me to do some sorting out first? I can also do some work on the pictures you’d like to keep, if you want.” 

“We’ll see about it,” Cat tempers, coming to sit next to her son. “First, let’s see what you got.”

Kara nods and clicks on a picture.

It’s a shot of Carter and Cat walking side by side in the paved alley leading to the house, seemingly absorbed in a conversation. Kara remembers having snapped the shot a little too quickly but she’s very pleased with the result. The focus is on Old-Stone manor in the background, showing through the trees and in between Cat and Carter, while the silhouettes themselves are rather blurry, almost indistinct. 

“Can we have this one?”

Kara blinks and turns to meet Cat’s eyes, slightly surprised by the softness in Cat’s voice. There’s a strange sparkle in Cat’s ever green irises Kara can see despite the relative darkness of the room. Kara’s seen Cat under a lot of different lights today, both literally and figuratively but there’s something entirely different about this moment.   
It makes Kara’s heartbeat race, just a little.

“Hm, sure,” Kara nods, doing her best to focus back on her laptop. “I’m going to create a file where I’ll copy all the shots you want to keep. Just, tell me if you want me to work on some of them.” 

“This one doesn’t need any work,” Cat states, voice still soft. 

“Alright,” Kara nods, avoiding looking at Cat altogether. She instantly copies the picture into a new file and returns to the app to keep showing pictures to the Grants.

“Hey! I didn’t see you take this one!” Kara suddenly exclaims, pulling one of Carter’s shots up on the screen.

On the TV, Cat is leaning over her shoulder to look at Kara’s phone screen with a smile on her lips. Kara, sat down in a chair, is looking up at Cat’s face and apparently explaining something, one hand holding the phone and the other one caught mid-gesture in the air. The pool is showing in the right corner of the picture but what surprises Kara is that they look like they’ve known each-other for a lifetime, seemingly comfortable in each-other's presence.

“I was actually trying to catch the way you were focused on your phone but then mom came behind you and asked about the picture you just took,” Carter explains, chuckling. 

Kara chances a glance at Cat but the author isn’t looking at her, instead focused on the TV screen.

“Can I keep this one?” Carter eventually adds, sounding hopeful.

“Uh … sure, I can crop it so you can only see your mom,” Kara replies, wondering why Carter would like to keep this shot out of the few hundred he took during the afternoon.

“No no, I’d like to keep the picture intact,” Carter shakes his head. “It’ll be a nice souvenir!” 

“Oh, uh,” Kara stammers a little, trying not to feel too affected by the simple affection Carter is showing. “Alright.”

She copies the shot to their file and then keeps going, under Cat’s thoughtful gaze. 

“Look mom! Wouldn’t it be a good shot for the article?” Carter states, gesturing at the new picture showing on the TV.

It’s one Kara snapped in Cat’s home-office, when Cat had to take an important phone call from one of CatCo Publishing’s board members.   
The picture is strangely framed but aesthetically perfect.   
It shows a Champagne Gold Mont-Blanc pen resting on a stack of white papers, a matching golden MacBook closed on the side, a pair of glasses casually sitting in the middle, and the perfectly clean glass of Cat’s desk reflecting the sunlight completes the whole shot with nuances of gold. There’s also a picture-frame showing in a corner of the photograph but it’s oriented so the picture inside is not visible. 

“It’s an excellent idea,” Cat immediately agrees. “It’s somehow very personal but it’s framed so that no one can tell, I like it.” 

“High-praise, coming from you,” Kara laughs, making Carter laugh too. It earns them a fond, exasperated look from Cat but she doesn’t comment on it.

“I have another couple of shots I’d like to include in the article, if you’ll allow me?” Kara adds, jumping on the occasion to make the most of Cat’s good mood.

“Show us,” Cat nods, encouraging Kara with a warm smile. 

Once more, Kara feels her heart skip a beat and then race but she doesn’t dwell on it. Instead, she searches for the right pictures and pulls them up on the screen, one by one.

The first is a shot of Cat in front of one of the walls of books in the octagonal room. The shot is framed in a way that makes it seem the shelves of books are infinite, on either side of the author. She’s standing with her hands on her hips and even with her back to the camera, it’s a stance that clearly exudes power.

“Before you start arguing that someone could recognize you,” Kara starts, anticipating Cat’s most used excuse to say no. “I was thinking of cropping the picture so that only one side of yourself is shown. It’d look like this.”

Kara quickly opens the picture in another app, crops the shot and shows the result.

“I would go as far as keeping you in color, the hair, the skin, the dress …” Kara gestures on the big TV screen to enforce her suggestions. “ … but putting the rest of the photograph, which means the books, in black and white. I think it’d go very nicely with the picture of your desk, in golden hues.” 

“Those are really good ideas, Kara!” Carter enthusiastically agrees, almost clapping his hands. “You could even use it to take a whole side of one page, don’t you think?”

“Exactly!” Kara agrees, throwing a smile at Carter.

“I like it too,” Cat nods. “You may use this one for the article, then.” 

“Cool!” Kara smiles, relieved. 

“Not this one though,” Cat instantly states when Kara swipes the next photo onto the screen. “Someone might recognize the car and I don’t want to take that risk.”

Kara glances up at the TV and realizes Cat is right. She’d been so focused on capturing Cat’s perfectly defined shadow next to the BMW suv she didn’t stop to think of it. 

“Alright, you have a point,” Kara nods, putting another picture up. 

“Now, that would go very well with the rest of the pictures we chose,” Cat nods, looking very pleased by the artistic shot of her phone resting atop a pile of her own books. “Did you intentionally pick gold for a theme?” 

The latest model of the golden Samsung Galaxy perfectly matches the colors of the books, most of them having writings in various shades of gold or soft yellow showing across white or light paperback. 

“Not at first, but after a while it kind of clicked, yes,” Kara replies, a little sheepishly. 

“I really like it,” Cat smiles, looking right into Kara’s eyes. “Now, what else do you have?”

Kara tries her best to hide her blush and focuses back on her laptop, eager to show the rest of her work to the Grants.

\---

“What about politics?”

“I never talk about politics,” Cat retorts, defiantly looking at the reporter in front of her. 

“Never say never,” Kara counters, making her pen swirl in between her fingers. “Come on. You must have an opinion on the current state of the US’ politics …”

“I do, it’s a mess,” Cat states, bluntly.

“Now you’re talking. Let’s dig into that. Why?” Kara insists, starting to take notes in her usual leather-bound notebook. 

She’s focused, unrelenting and dedicated, as always. Cat has been witnessing first-hand Kara’s passion for her job; through the creative ways she circumvented the many challenges Cat’s put her through, but it still surprises her how easy it has become to let Kara in. At first, she’d resisted and stood her ground, mostly out of habit but Kara didn’t back away, she’s pushed through all of Cat’s defenses and made herself at home in Cat’s presence, something only Lois had managed until now.   
Cat doesn’t like to admit it, but she actually likes spending time with Kara. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for Olivia Marsden as a woman and I understand that her position is not easy but I don’t agree with her views.”

“On what?” Kara pushes, her pen scratching the page of her notebook as she writes. 

“Honestly? Pretty much everything.”

“Really?” Kara frowns, glancing up at Cat before finishing her line. “What about her work on the environment? She’s been pretty steady and unrelenting on the topic, leading to a lot of progress across the country on climate change, energy savings and whatnot …”

“You truly are a millenial,” Cat laughs, fondly. She sees the unimpressed brow Kara arches at her comment and quickly continues. “Alright, you’ve got a point. On that topic, I agree with her decisions and I’m glad she’s led our country back to some common sense, but to me it’s not a priority at the moment.”

Judging by the sparkle of annoyance flashing in Kara’s baby blue eyes, Cat can tell her answer doesn’t please the reporter. Kara jots down a few encrypted notes in her notebook before looking up again.

“You truly are a Gen Z,” Kara ironically, mimicking Cat. “Let me guess, you are going to argue that her external policies are wrong, that she should focus on the economy, the country’s security or even immigration laws.”

“Something like that,” Cat nods, secretly enjoying the banter. She likes how Kara gets a little worked up at the idea that Cat could actually be so old-fashioned. 

“Are you messing with me on purpose?” Kara narrows her eyes, suddenly looking a little unsure.

“I am,” Cat says, bursting into laughter. “It’s very amusing to watch you react to what I say when it doesn’t fit your views, nor your views of me.” 

“You’re mean,” Kara grumbles, obviously trying to fight back a smile. “Now, I seriously need some quotes for the article, or should I say you’re a fake republican and secretly a millennial?” 

“Can you do that?” Cat asks, half-joking and half-serious.

“I’m pretty sure Lois would not let me, no,” Kara chuckles, eyes alight with humor. 

“Sadly,” Cat sighs, still smiling. “You already almost lost her girlfriend’s cat, let’s not make anything worse ...”

“I didn’t lose …” Kara stops mid-sentence, suddenly looking very shocked. “Wait, so Lana Lang really is Lois Lane’s girlfriend?”

“Yes, they’ve been together for almost two years now,” Cat nods. “You didn’t know?”

“Not for sure, no!” Kara shakes her head, sounding slightly distressed. “You’re right, let’s not add anything to the list of reasons to hate me.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Cat counters, a little too sharply. “She picked you, didn’t she?”

“That was before I almost lost Barnaby,” Kara grumbles, shaking her head again. 

“Ah, so you did almost lose him!” 

“You’re impossible,” Kara glares, trying to look stern but failing as a smile finally graces her lips.

“I know, I’m pretty famous for it too,” Cat boasts, sassily.

“Am I interrupting?” Carter asks, from the doorframe of Cat’s office. 

“Not at all sweetheart, come on in,” Cat instantly offers, gesturing to the other chair next to Kara. When he sits down, she instantly notices her son looks a little dejected.

“You look sad,” Kara gently says, reaching over to place a hand on Carter’s forearm. 

Cat’s heart warms at the sight. While it would be entirely natural and normal for anyone else, she knows it’s different for Carter. He’s always been very protective of his personal space and aside from his parents and a very small handful of people, he doesn’t let anyone in.   
Until Kara, who somehow instantly earned the right to be in his space.

“Josh is grounded,” Carter sighs. “I was supposed to spend the 4th of July with him and his family to go see the fireworks but now I can’t go …”

Kara squeezes his arm but doesn’t speak.

“We’ll go see them together, if you want,” Cat offers, hating seeing her son so unhappy. 

She understands how canceled plans make him feel, she always struggles too despite having gone through a lifetime of it already. Like her, he’s not comfortable around new people and it takes some time for him to get used to the idea, so canceled plans usually feel like a big let down.

“I guess,” Carter shrugs.

“Why don’t you come to spend the day with me, both of you?” Kara suddenly offers, a bright smile on her lips. “I’m staying with my family, there will be some friends, a lot of food ... and the beach-house overlooks the whole coast, so we can see the fireworks really well from it!” 

Cat doesn’t have the time to gently decline Kara’s offer because Carter, to her surprise, jumps on it.

“Really? We can do that?” Carter asks, sounding extremely hopeful. “Can we, mom?”

“I don’t know,” Cat answers, a little taken aback by her son’s easy acceptance. She knows Carter and Kara somehow bonded but she didn’t expect such easiness from her son at the prospect of spending a full day with a bunch of strangers. “I mean, I would love to but Carter, are you sure you’re up for this?”

Cat throws a quick, apologetic glance toward Kara. The reporter seems a little confused at first before realization settles in her baby blues eyes and she instantly turns to face Carter.

“It’s just an offer, Carter. You don’t have to accept if it makes you feel uncomfortable,” Kara adds, following on Cat’s footsteps to make sure Carter understands what it means. “There will be at least ten people you don’t know and it’s probably going to be a bit loud so it’s perfectly alright if you don’t feel up for it.” 

Carter, who seemed to have been about to answer, pauses to consider Kara’s words. Cat watches, almost holding her breath, as her son seriously thinks about the offer. 

“I think I’d like to go,” Carter eventually says, shyly. He turns his head to look at her. “I mean, I can’t promise I’ll be alright all day but I’d like to try?”

Cat nods right away and smiles.

“Alright, then I guess we’ll be spending the fourth of July with you, Miss Danvers …”

“Still not calling me by my first name, I see,” Kara rolls her eyes before throwing an amused wink at Carter, who chuckles in response. “I’ll send you the details by text but I’m warning you up front, wear casual clothes and if possible, bring some to change into. After all, it is a beach-house and it’s summertime …”

To that, Carter lets out a loud cheer while Cat tries her best not to think of Kara clad in a bikini.

\---

“You invited your boss and her son to our 4th of July party?”

“She’s not my boss!”

“Semantics, Kara,” Alex groans, sounding exasperated. “Anyway, since mom already agreed, I guess I don’t have a say in it …”

“Why does it bug you so much?” Kara asks, sounding a bit hurt.

“It doesn’t, I just … I didn’t expect a couple of strangers at our family party is all,” Alex explains, clearly trying to appease her sister.

“She’s not a stranger to me,” Kara points out. “Beside, you will absolutely love Carter.”

“I have no doubt I will,” Alex says and Kara can hear the smile in her voice. She knows how much Alex loves kids and she’s half-counting on this to help keep Alex away from Cat on the 4th. “By the way, I’m bringing Sara.”

“Really? Cool!” Kara lets out a happy squeal. “I didn’t know she was around!”

“She’s still in Starling City for a few days but I’m picking her up at the airport before driving to mom’s with her,” Alex explains, sounding really happy. “We’ll stay for at least three days, maybe five but we’re not sure yet.”

“I’m just so happy you’ll both be here! I heard Winn and Nia are coming too, along with Brainy …”

“One day, I’ll find out his real name,” Alex chuckles. “So what did you say to them, about your boss and her son’s presence at our family party?” 

“I just said they were new neighbors and that Eliza and I wanted to make them feel welcome,” Kara sighs, a little unhappy about having to lie to her friends. “What did you say to Sara?”

“That you signed too many NDAs for me to risk saying anything on the topic and that she’d have to ask about it herself,” Alex replies, some sharpness returning to her voice. “Then again, she understands. She works with the Queen family and I’m pretty sure they make everyone sign NDAs too.” 

“Right, I forgot about that. I don’t know why, but in my mind Sara is still backpacking around the world; picking up new martial arts skills and testing all the food!” 

“No, that’s over,” Alex laughs. “She’s got a job now, and she likes it … But yeah, the adjustment took quite some time. Now, I’m just glad I get to tease her about Moody Queen and his bratty little sister ...” 

“You’re evil,” Kara shakes her head through her laughter.

“I know, it’s all part of my natural charm,” Alex jokes. “Now, about your boss slash crush …”

“She’s neither or those things, Alex!” Kara protests, rolling her eyes.

“Sure she’s not,” Alex sarcastically replies. “How is the interview going? Did you manage to take a few pictures in the end? I remember you saying it was going to be a hardship …”

“It was but I found a way to turn it into something fun. I gave Carter and Cat a camera and told them to have fun while I take pictures with my phone,” Kara enthusiastically explains, gesturing with her free hand as she spoke. “I ended up with a good stock of usable shots and I even managed to convince Cat to include some in the article.” 

“That’s very clever!” Alex praises, sounding impressed. “Could you show me some of them or is it too confidential?”

“I don’t know,” Kara relents, not wanting to break her word to Cat. “I’ll ask her and if she says yes, I’ll show you the ones I’m planning on using for the article.”

“Sounds good,” Alex thanks her. “I’m sorry, but I’m exhausted Kara, I’m going to bed. See you in a few days!” 

“Bye Alex, I love you,” Kara says, right before Alex hangs up.

 _I love you too_ , says the text that chimes in a few seconds later.

\---

As the car nears the beach-house, Cat’s nervousness increases.   
It rolls in waves in the pit of her stomach and her heart is beating a little faster, she can feel it against her temples, in the tips of her fingertips and it’s drumming in her ears over the music.

“Mom, are you alright?”

She startles, and glances at her son on the passenger side. He’s looking at her with worry in his blue eyes, hands secured around the cardboard holding the cake, on his lap.

“Of course I am, sweetheart. Why do you ask?” Cat lies, not wanting to spread her anxiety to her son.

“You look … nervous,” Carter frowns.

“I’m fine,” Cat dismisses with what she hopes is a reassuring smile, focusing on the road instead. 

After having rolled along the alley leading to the house, she slows down, parks the car next to a shiny black Ford Mustang and takes a breath before exiting the vehicle. She walks around to go retrieve a big, summer tote bag in the trunk and then holds the cake while Carter climbs out of the SUV and grabs his own backpack.

“Relax mom,” Carter smiles, taking the cake back in his hands to carry it to the house. “Kara’s really cool, everything’s gonna be alright.”

“Hey! You made it!” Kara comes sauntering their way with a big smile on her face. “Did you find the house easily?” 

She’s wearing a slightly oversized white t-shirt with the pride flag embroidered upon her heart and a pair of navy swimming shorts that stop mid-thigh. Cat can’t help but stare at the expanse of legs on display, tanned and muscular, surprisingly long too. 

“Hey Kara! Nice house!” Carter greets her after a beat, holding the cake with one hand to offer a high-five to the reporter, who happily gives it. “We didn’t know what to bring so we brought a chocolate cake.”

“Oh thanks, but you really didn’t have to!” Kara smiles, brightly. “Miss Grant, are you alright?”

“She’s fine,” Carter chuckles next to her. “She’s a bit anxious in social settings where she doesn’t know anyone. I wonder if it’s genetic …”

Kara nods and steps forward to stand in front of her. Cat is still a little mesmerized by the tanned skin and all the muscles showing on Kara’s arms and legs.

“Come on, Miss Grant,” Kara offers, slowly reaching to touch Cat’s elbow. The contact is soft and very gentle but it sets Cat’s skin aflame. “You’re the first to arrive so I’ll introduce you to my friends and family as they join, one step at a time, and if it’s too much, we’ll escape.”

“We can do that?” Carter asks, sounding both shocked and hopeful.

“Of course we can,” Kara laughs, eyes sparkling with humor. “It’s one of the best features of the house, being able to escape to the beach whenever life becomes too much.”

Cat swallows against the nervous lump in her throat and offers a smile.

“Thank you, Kara.”

“You’re very welcome. Now come on in, we’re going to find you something to drink,” Kara states, guiding the Grants towards the house.

Moments later, they’re all in the backyard and Kara gently puts a glass of white wine into her hands before offering a can of coke and a glass full of ice to Carter.

“Ah, Kara! I see our neighbors finally arrived!”

Cat arches a surprised brow at Kara before turning to face the woman advancing on them.

“Eliza, this is Cat and Carter Grant,” Kara smiles, handing over a glass of sparkling water to the woman named Eliza. “Cat, Carter, this is Eliza Danvers.”

Cat blinks in surprise, wondering why Kara doesn’t introduce the woman as her mother but she doesn’t say anything and politely extends a hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mrs Danvers. Thank you for having us,” Cat offers.

“Oh nonsense, I’m delighted you’re here!” Eliza replies with a warm and kind smile that crinkles her eyes. “Please, call me Eliza! I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, especially you young man!”

Carter throws an uncertain glance at Kara, who simply smiles encouragingly at him.

“Thank you, Mrs Danvers …” Carter sees the woman narrow her eyes and quickly adapts. “I mean, Eliza! We brought a chocolate cake.” 

“That’s an excellent idea,” Eliza nods, eyes sparkling mischievously. “I’d say we already have too much food but with Kara over here, there can never be enough food …”

The gentle jab makes both Cat and Carter laugh while Kara pouts. 

“Mean,” Kara grumbles around her smile. She looks about to say something else when a a shout echoes in the air.

“Kara!” 

Cat doesn’t even have time to turn around before a flash of long blond hair passes her and throws itself at Kara.

“I’ve missed you so much!” 

Kara’s laugh, genuine, carefree and loud, sends a bolt of arousal down Cat’s belly. However, it’s instantly followed by an unpleasant feeling as she recognizes the woman from the picture Carter found in Kara’s camera.

“Sara, long time no see,” Kara says, dropping a kiss on the woman’s cheek. Sara, since it appears to be her name, loudly returns the gesture and it only aggravates the unpleasant feeling in Cat’s stomach.

“Ah, I see how it is,” another voice joins the party, coming from behind them all. “Sara gets all the love and I get none of it, as usual.”

Kara laughs and escapes Sara’s hold to walk toward a woman Cat also recognizes from the same picture Sara was in. 

“Come on Alex, you know I love you! I just don’t get to see Sara as much,” Kara explains, before hugging the woman named Alex. “Come on, I want to introduce you to our new neighbors.”

That gets a chuckle from Alex and Cat watches as both women approach the small group of people, arm in arm.

“Alex, meet Cat and Carter Grant!” Kara introduces them with a warm smile. “This is Alex Danvers, my sister.” 

Cat instantly takes the hand Alex extends and doesn’t flinch under the slightly too firm handshake. Alex is a little smaller than Kara but it doesn’t feel that way when Cat looks into her sharp and observant nutmeg eyes. She wears her hair a little longer than Cat remembers seeing on Kara’s camera but it’s still of an auburn color that shines and sparkles underneath the bright sunlight. 

Despite their differences, Alex and Eliza are clearly related and it shows, which makes her wonder again why Alex is being introduced as Kara’s sister while Eliza doesn’t get to be called mother. 

“Pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Grant,” Alex says, her tone betraying she knows exactly who Cat is. “You too, Carter! I heard a lot of awesome stuff about you.”

Carter blushes and smiles shyly before enthusiastically shaking Alex’s hand. Sara comes to stand next to Alex after having kissed Eliza on the cheek and offers a warm smile.

“This is Sara Lance, my girlfriend,” Alex adds, turning her head to smile at Sara.

A wave of relief suddenly washes away the unpleasant feeling in Cat’s stomach.   
She knows she’s being irrational but learning that Sara isn’t, in fact, Kara’s significant other, makes her very happy. 

“Pleasure!” Sara says, shaking Cat and Carter’s hand with a curious gleam in her eyes. “I understand you’re fairly new to the area?”

“Well ... “ Cat starts, still slightly confused as to why they keep being introduced as the new neighbors.

They’re interrupted by a group of three people joyfully exiting the house and immediately coming to invade Kara’s space.

It feels a little strange to see Kara in the middle of so many people but Cat doesn’t have time to dwell on it. She finds herself shaking hands with a woman named Nia, a strange, odd man introduced as Brainy, and another one called Winn, whom Carter recognizes as the CEO of Legion Industry. 

They’re all bold and full of enthusiasm and for a moment, she fears it’s going to be too much for Carter but he doesn’t seem uncomfortable at all. If anything, he looks over the moon to be able to talk with Winn.

“What do you say we move the party to the tables over there?” Kara eventually offers, breaking the small conversations having started between everyone.

“Excellent idea,” Sara nods, pushing Brainy and Nia towards one of the tables. Winn falls back into his conversation with Carter and they both walk away to another table, leaving Cat with Alex, Eliza and Kara.

“I’m sorry about the neighbors excuse,” Kara offers, sheepishly. “Eliza and Alex know who you are but they’re the only ones and I figured it would be a plausible cover for everyone else …” 

Cat suddenly feels a surge of affection for Kara. She didn’t have to invite them over and yet she did, coming up with a story to protect her identity while she didn’t even think about it. She’s grateful for Kara’s thoughtfulness.

“That’s perfectly alright,” Cat smiles. “Thank you for thinking of it, I must admit it completely slipped my mind.” 

“Your secret is safe with us,” Eliza adds, eyes soft as she offers another warm smile. “Alex and I are both doctors, consider us both tied by doctor-patient confidentiality.” 

“That’s so kind of you, thank you!” Cat smiles in return, a little taken aback by how kind Eliza is to her. “Do you need any help?”

“Absolutely not!” Eliza shakes her head, waving a fake-threatening finger under her nose. “You just enjoy yourself, everything is taken care of.”

With that, Eliza walks away toward the house and Alex follows after her, saying something about needing to change after spending so much time in a car. 

“Sorry, it was a bit much,” Kara apologises, driving Cat’s attention back to her. “I didn’t expect them to all arrive at the same time.” 

“You apologize too much, Miss Danvers,” Cat snaps, smoothing her sharp comment over with a kind and grateful smile. “I enjoyed meeting your friends and … family.”

She notices Kara’s eyes darken a little at the last word but it doesn’t last.

“Maybe you should start calling me by my first name,” Kara laughs, gesturing toward the small groups of people gathered around the buffet. “Especially if you don’t want to sound like my teacher …”

“You have a point,” Cat nods, thinking it would be weird of her to keep calling Kara Miss Danvers around her friends and family. “So Kara, can I ask you something?”

“Let me guess,” Kara sighs, glancing back at Eliza bringing down a trail of fresh drinks. “You want to know why I introduced Alex as my sister but not Eliza as my mother.”

“It’s alright if you don’t want to answer,” Cat tempers, noticing the dark gleam has returned into Kara’s baby blue eyes. “I’m just curious …”

“Curiosity killed the cat, you know?”

Cat startles and quickly turns her head to face Alex, who apparently already returned, and without making a sound. She’s swapped her jeans and sweater for a pair of denim shorts and a green and black plaid-shirt open on a black tank top, the flashy green pair of Wayfarers perched atop her head completing the look. 

“A cat pun, really?” Cat deadpans, arching an unimpressed brow at the Danvers sister. “Isn’t it a bit too easy?” 

Alex starts to laugh, obviously pleased and amused by Cat’s comeback. 

“Point taken, I’ll try to think of something smarter during the day,” Alex chuckles before walking away to join her girlfriend. Cat thinks she might just like Alex Danvers, with her blunt and direct attitude.

“I’m adopted,” Kara says, quietly, watching her sister go. “I was thirteen when I arrived in the Danvers family and it took some time for me, for us all really, to get used to it.”

Her heart immediately aches for Kara. From the dark look in Kara’s eyes, she can already guess the reporter’s past is probably a lot more tragic than her bubbly personality lets on. She thinks back on the name Kara uses to sign her byline and something clicks. She doesn’t say anything though, she only has common platitudes to offer and she knows for a fact it never helps.

“I can call Alex my sister, because I never had one,” Kara explains, turning her eyes to look at Cat. “I can’t call Eliza my mother, because for thirteen years I had one and as much as I love Eliza, it’s just not the same.”

“It makes sense,” Cat gently says, hoping she’s not saying the wrong thing.

A look of surprise flashes in Kara’s baby blue eyes, so sudden it almost manages to chase away the darkness. 

“Most people just say they’re sorry or that they understand,” Kara slowly says, watching Cat as if trying to figure out what her words meant.

“While I am truly sorry for what you had to endure, I can’t pretend I understand,” Cat explains, answering Kara’s unsaid question. “I just didn’t want to say all the things you probably already hear too much.” 

The look Kara gives her is undefinable and it makes Cat’s heart race in her chest, just a little. It’s warm and at the same time enthralling, tempting.

The moment is gone too soon when Eliza joins them, accompanied by a tall black man who seems too big to fit in his white shirt. He has kind eyes, a gentle smile and his hand is soft when he shakes Cat’s.

“J’onn Jonzz,” He introduces himself. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Grant! It’s also nice to see you again, Kara.”

“Hi J’onn, how’s the research going?” Kara asks, hugging the man quickly before stepping back next to Cat. 

“Not so well I’m afraid, we’ve been hitting a wall for the last two weeks …” J’onn replies, sounding a bit frustrated. 

Eliza places a hand over his forearm and smiles at him.

“We’ll get it right, don’t worry. Now come on, let’s go say hello to the others.”

Cat watches as Eliza guides J’onn to the first table, where Winn and Carter are still talking, sometimes joined by Brainy. Around the other table, Nia, Sara and Alex seem to be in deep conversation about something that sounds very funny, given the number of laughs and giggles punctuating every few lines. 

“How many more people are you expecting?” Cat asks, considering the indecent amount of food and drinks gathered on the buffet tables.

“I think that’s all, why?” Kara replies, frowning at Cat.

“Are we supposed to eat everything?” Cat gasps, slightly horrified. She knows there’s even more of it in the kitchen because she’s seen Kara drop the cake in the middle of another mountain of food.

Kara bursts out laughing, eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Wait until we actually start eating, you will probably worry that there isn’t enough food …” 

“You can’t be serious,” Cat throws her a skeptical look, before glancing back at the buffet. 

“I am, I promise,” Kara chuckles. “We usually spend a lot of energy in the pool and then in the sea, so we eat a lot throughout the day …” 

“There’s a pool?” Cat asks, looking around and not seeing one.

“Yes, come on I’ll show you,” Kara says, offering her arm to Cat. 

She doesn’t think twice before accepting it.

\---

Alex watches as Kara throws Carter into the pool, a peal of laughter echoing in the air before it gets swallowed by the water. 

It’s been a long time since she’s seen Kara act so carefree and it doesn’t escape her that Cat and Carter’s presence are a factor in the change. 

She’s studied them for the better part of the afternoon and she’s noticed a lot of things. The way Kara always protects Cat from being splashed with water around the pool, the gentle hovering of Kara’s hand around Cat’s elbow or back, the quick glances to make sure Cat is alright, and the excuses Kara gives when Cat finds herself at loss to explain what she does for a living. 

“She looks good lately, doesn’t she?” Eliza comes to stand next to her, eyes on Kara as she bombs next to Carter in the pool, generously splashing Sara and Nia nearby. “It’s been a while since she’s been so … happy.” 

“You know it’s not your fault, right mom?” Alex murmurs, reaching over to squeeze her mother’s forearm. “She’s just … been through a lot and she’s built walls to protect herself from the rest of the world.”

“I know, I know,” Eliza sighs, still looking a little sad. “I’m just happy to see her enjoy the moment, I’ve missed this version of her.” 

“Me too,” Alex nods, looking back at Kara and Carter teaming up to convince Winn and Brainy to join them in the pool. 

“I hope I’m not interrupting?”

Alex turns to face Cat, who’s seemingly coming back from inside the house. 

The pale-blue, sleeveless shirt-dress she’s wearing perfectly compliments her tan and her golden blond curls. Alex is not exactly well versed in fashion but she knows this is a fancy outfit, probably straight out of some well-known designer’s factory. She’d half-expected to see a pair of heels when she greeted Cat for the first time, so she was surprised to see the rather simple sandals Cat had worn for the better part of the day. That is, until Cat gave up and discarded them by the pool to walk around barefoot. 

“Not at all, I was just about to join J’onn by the pool,” Eliza smiles at Cat and drops a kiss onto Alex’s cheek before walking away.

“Want some wine?” Alex offers, raising a spare glass of white wine in Cat’s direction. 

“Do you always bring a spare glass with you?” Cat chuckles, stepping in closer to stand next to Alex, accepting the drink.

“I usually bring the whole bottle but Sara pointed out that it’s a bit rude,” Alex grins, very amused. “How do you like your day so far, Miss Grant?”

“I see you don’t call me by my first name either …” Cat smiles. Her eyes are incredibly green, Alex notices, it looks like they see through souls. “I am actually having a lot of fun and I believe Carter is over the moon.” 

Another peal of Carter’s laughter swirls in the air to punctuate Cat’s words. 

“He’s such a great kid,” Alex smiles, looking as Kara stands in the middle of the pool with Carter on her shoulders. In front of them, Nia climbs onto Brainy’s shoulders to be able to fight Carter. “I also think he’s going to sleep very well tonight.”

Cat laughs at that, fondly.

“How is the interview going?” Alex asks, sipping at her wine while watching the fight.

“Swimmingly well,” Cat retorts without missing a beat.

“You sound surprised,” Alex points out, throwing a look at the author.

“I am,” Cat confirms. “I honestly didn’t expect it to go so well.”

“Why not?” 

“I’m guessing Kara told you a few things about me,” Cat starts, waiting for Alex to confirm before continuing. “This is the very first interview I’m giving, I’ve resisted the very idea of it for a long, long time and I admit that when I first met your sister, it felt like a very invasive intrusion in my life.”

Alex nods, listening carefully. She can hear the fondness leaking into Cat’s voice when she talks about Kara and she wonders if Cat is even aware of it. It’s subtle but it’s there.

“In the end, she … turned it into something light and fun. She even makes my son come out of his shell, which is very surprising and heartwarming at once. He’s a shy and reserved little boy but looking at him today, you wouldn’t believe it. It’s … Kara’s doing.”

“She’s a people person,” Alex nods. “She wants to see the best in people and don’t ask me how, but somehow, she ends up transforming the people she’s around for the better. It’s like no one wants to disappoint her, so they all become exactly what she sees in them …” 

“You sound kind of … in awe,” Cat points out, looking at the Danvers sister with curiosity. 

“I am,” Alex agrees. “She’s been through a lot in her life and it always amazes me that she’s so … optimistic. She’s so genuine, carefree and altruistic, I’ve never met anyone like her.”

“Me neither,” Cat nods.

“You’re lucky, you know?” Alex eventually says. “You get to see her under her best light.”

“What do you mean?”

“She moved to National City about two months before she met you and she wasn’t … doing so great. I mean she was alright but like dulled, less bright, less infectious if you see what I mean.” 

“I do,” Cat nods, eyes on Kara and Carter.

“She puts up walls with people, to keep them at bay. You wouldn’t believe it, seeing her like this, but she does. For someone to manage to break through all the walls, it takes an awful lot,” Alex explains, letting out a sad sigh. “The last person who did left giant scars on her heart and transformed the walls into a fortress.” 

“Oh,” Cat gasps softly. 

A sudden squeal makes them both look to the pool, just in time to see Nia and Brainy fall after having lost to Carter and Kara.   
Carter raises his fist to the sky in a victory gesture before taking a plunge to free Kara. They exchange a high five the moment they both emerge before switching teams, Carter going with Brainy while Sara asks to climb onto Kara’s shoulders. 

“She looks so … happy,” Cat whispers, awed. Alex smiles and nods, not adding anything to it. “I had no idea about her past. I mean, I had guessed it wasn’t all pretty but I didn’t know ... She’s very talented at making people talk and believe me, it’s not a small exploit, yet she never talks about herself. Not in ways that matter. The rare few times I tried to know more about personal topics, she closed off and I backed away.” 

“You get it, then,” Alex nods, not surprised to see Cat actually pays attention. 

She’s seen the way Cat looks at Kara when she thinks no one is watching. The quiet fondness bordering on affection, the soft smiles that float on her lips every time Kara does something a bit silly, the way she always seemed to know exactly where Kara was in the crowd.   
She also distinctly remembers how Cat almost froze mid-sentence when Kara suddenly removed her t-shirt and exposed her white swimming-bra before taking off to jump in the pool. She saw the blush that followed, that Cat couldn’t quite hide and tried to pass off has a heat thing. 

“What do you do for a living, Miss Danvers?”

“Hell no,” Alex laughs, only slightly surprised by the sudden change of topic. “If you’re going to call Kara that, then please call me Alex.” 

“Fair enough, Alex,” Cat smiles in return. 

“I’m a doctor, like mom. Specifically, a neurosurgeon.” 

Cat turns an impressed eye at her and Alex smirks.

“Not what you were expecting, am I right?”

“Not exactly, no,” Cat admits. “I was thinking of something like bioengineering, I don’t know why.”

“Well, that’s mom’s specialty,” Alex explains, taking another sip of wine. “My dad was also a scientist, specialized in Oceanology. I think Kara tried to follow in everyone’s footsteps but it wasn’t for her. So instead, she became a reporter.” 

“A good one,” Cat approves. “Are you close with her cousin? She mentioned he was the one to find her an internship in the Daily Planet …”

“No,” Alex shakes her head, a little sharply. “He’s never been around and aside from that one time, he never really did much for Kara.” 

“Figures,” Cat mumbles and the way she says it leads Alex to think she might know more than she lets on.

“You know him?” Alex probes, curious.

“I … don’t, not exactly,” Cat shakes her head. “He was involved with a dear friend of mine a long time ago. I never liked him, I still call him Kansas when I talk about him, on the rare occurrences it happens.” 

“It suits him just fine,” Alex approves. “Now come on, let’s join the others. We look like two party crashers over here, and besides, we’re out of wine.”

That makes Cat laugh and Alex sees, from the corner of her eye, how Kara’s head turns to the sound.


	3. CHAPTER 3

The sun is slowly falling into the ocean with bright shades of orange, pink, and gold when Eliza steps onto the porch at the back of her house. 

She hangs up with her daughter while keeping her eyes peeled for Kara, who disappeared sometime after having come back from her latest interview with Cat Grant.   
Eliza caught a glimpse of distress in a pair of baby blue eyes before a fake-smile came and buried it, punctuated by the sempiternal “I’m fine” Kara uses as a mantra every time things are not fine. She might not be Kara’s biological mother but she’s been taking care of Kara for a long time now and even though she knows she’s overstepped in the past, she has a feeling that this time, she will be needed. 

She takes her time to cross her backyard and ventures on the path leading to the beach, knowing that after the rooftop of the house, it’s Kara’s favorite spot. In passing, she tidies some of the hedges and bushes of flowers, which also gives her enough time to mentally prepare for a rebuttal. 

When she finally arrives on the beach, Kara’s standing in the water and the waves are lazily coming and going around her bare ankles. She seems deeply lost in her thoughts, eyes on the colorful horizon.

“There you are, sweetheart,” Eliza softly greets her. 

Kara doesn’t answer but a nod tells Eliza she’s been heard.   
It’s all she needs for the moment, so she sits down in the warm sand and watches as the sun keeps plunging into the sea. Evenings like these remind her of her daughters childhood, when she would come to get them after a surf session to tell them dinner was ready, which always led to a race for the bathroom.

“I’m sorry, Eliza,” Kara eventually whispers, her word barely audible above the regular sound of the tide. 

“What for, Honey?” Eliza asks, careful not to dismiss Kara’s apology right away. They have a long history of doing that and it never did much for them, in the end.

“For making you go through some of my walls, even after all this time,” Kara explains, after a beat. Regret weighs heavy in her tone but she doesn’t turn around. “I’m grateful that you never gave up on me, though, even when I was … hard on you.” 

Eliza stays quiet for a moment, torn between wanting to say that it’s a mother’s job and knowing it would only make Kara feel worse. She’s itching to just hug Kara but she knows it’s not the way to proceed, right now.

“You’re worth it,” Eliza softly replies. “I’ll always try, no matter what.” 

A moment passes, only troubled by the sounds of the waves and some birds chirping above their heads. 

“I think … I think I have everything I need to write my article,” Kara eventually breaks the silence again. There’s something in the way she holds herself that sets Eliza on edge, some kind of resignation she’s seen before and that doesn’t bode well for the future. “I probably only need one last meeting and then I’ll be done with this assignment. I’ll just have to put it into words for the Tribune.” 

A few stars are starting to light up the blue side of the sky above their heads, while the last fading rays of sunlight still shine on the horizon. The world is nothing but color, at this hour, and it throws a strange light on everything around them.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Eliza tries, finally starting to understand why Kara feels so down.

She’s not blind, she’s seen how her daughter acted around the writer and her son, how carefree and genuinely happy she’d been on the Fourth of July with them around. More than once, she caught Kara looking at Cat with a kind of soft longing on her face. She also saw the way Cat searched for Kara in the crowd, every time they were apart, with a twinkle of yearning in her eyes.

“It is,” Kara confirms but her heart isn’t in it, clearly. She says it like she means the exact opposite, Eliza thinks. “Once published, the article will save the Tribune from being bought by a bigger newspaper and I’ll probably get a promotion out of it.”

“Yet, you sound …” Eliza pauses and searches for the right word but nothing comes. She settles for her first idea instead. “You sound unhappy, about it.”

“I’m not,” Kara denies, shaking her head.

She’s still bathing in the dying sunlight of the day, all the golds and pinks swirling around her like a divine halo. The ocean ahead sparkles and shines but it’s slowly returning to its natural blue color, darkening with every inch of sky the night reclaims. 

“No?” Eliza insists, threading carefully.

Kara’s past is like the sky above their head, deep darkness battling against an ever optimistic personality. It has bright colors, moments of joy and happiness, but those are like the stars, barely twinkling in the middle of an ocean of sadness and loss, tragedy. 

Eliza remembers the broken teenager Clark Kent had brought them, with a sad smile and dulled eyes. She remembers the nightmares she held Kara through for months after they officially adopted her, the scary tantrums she’s thrown, the terrible arguments they had, and then the distant indifference that settled in between them.   
Eliza’s been through it all and she’s watched, proud as ever, as Kara’s true personality emerged on the other side, the people person, the adventurous reporter, the ever curious and wandering mind. 

“I’m just … sad,” Kara whispers. It’s quiet, Eliza almost misses it. “I guess I just got used to … hanging out with Miss Grant and her son.”

“What stops you from continuing to see them, even after you publish the article?” Eliza asks, without missing a beat. 

She’s learned how to use silence when talking with Kara and now she knows when not to let them stretch. It’s something not even Alex has managed, as hard as she’s tried. Eliza smiles fondly, knowing her daughter is just too hot blooded and impetuous to ever master the delicate art of silence. 

“She’s … Miss Grant. The most famous author of all generations, not to mention CEO of her own publishing house, and mother to an incredibly bright son,” Kara chuckles, sounding self-deprecating. 

“Meaning?” Eliza pushes, not letting Kara get away with this answer.

“The only reason we ever spent time together is because she had to give out an exclusive interview,” Kara retorts, turning away from the horizon to face Eliza. Her face disappears into the falling darkness of the night but she sounds slightly angry. “Now that it’s done, why would she want me around?”

“She didn’t have to come to the party, on July 4th, but she did,” Eliza states, not moving from her spot in the sand. “ You invited her and she came. Now, that wasn’t work related, was it?” 

Eliza can’t see Kara’s features but the lack of reply tells her she’s mulling the words over.

“Is it so hard to believe that you’re someone worth knowing and being friends with?”

Kara turns back to face the ocean and Eliza suddenly realizes her mistake and winces. Of course Kara doesn’t want Cat to be her friend, especially since it’s obvious that in her mind they’re already friends. She belittles herself for a moment.

“Have you told her, that you have everything you need?” Eliza asks, trying to bring the conversation back on track.

“Not yet,” Kara sighs. “I’m supposed to go over there tomorrow afternoon, I’ll let her know then …”

“I hate seeing you so sad,” Eliza murmurs, at a loss as to how to make Kara realise she doesn’t have to end her budding relationship with Cat.

“I know,” Kara replies, softly. 

“Ever since Mike broke your heart, you’ve been …”

“Let’s not talk about him,” Kara quickly cuts her off.

“I’m just saying …” Eliza insists. “You’ve been withdrawn and kept to yourself. The Fourth of July was the first time in a long time Alex and I saw you so happy, really, genuinely happy.”

“I’m fine,” Kara dismisses with a flick of her wrist. “I gonna take a walk, if you don’t mind. I’ll be back later, don’t wait up. Good night, Eliza.”

Kara starts walking away and Eliza watches, helpless, as her silhouette slowly fades into the night.

\---

“Christopher,” Cat greets through her teeth.

“Heartwarming welcome, as always,” Christopher sarcastically replies. “Don’t worry, this won’t take long.” 

Cat sighs and goes to pour herself an unhealthy dose of Scotch before making her way toward the French Doors leading to the pool.

“I’m listening,” Cat states once she’s settled on one of the chairs facing the water. 

Night has fallen already, and she’s turned the lights in the pool on to give a soft halo to the area. Inside, Carter is playing a video game in the cinema room, and before her ex called, she’d been trying to work on her latest draft, but in vain. Her mind kept thinking back on her last meeting with Kara, earlier in the afternoon. 

“I feel terrible for how I abandoned Carter while we were supposed to go on vacation together,” Christopher says, surprising Cat. She wants to laugh derisively but the genuine regret in her ex’s voice isn’t fake and she knows it. “I’d like to ask him if he would like to … resume our time together, but I wanted to ask beforehand. I know it’s your turn to have him so if you say no, I won’t even bring it up to him.” 

“That’s …” Cat pauses and takes a sip of her drink, trying to find her words. “Surprisingly thoughtful of you.”

“Come on, Cat,” Christopher sighs. “I know I can sometimes be an asshole, a jerk, a son of a bitch, and whatever bird names you can think of with you, but I still want a relationship with my son. I know I’m not exactly an exemplary father, I’m not always there but I try, and I’ll keep trying, no matter what.”

Cat says silent, totally taken aback by Christopher’s heartfelt explanation.

“Are you still there?” Christopher asks, after a moment of silence.

“I’m here,” Cat nods, sipping her drink while trying to process everything. 

Truth is, she could use some time alone. Aside from the moments spent with Kara and Carter, she’s been mostly trying to work, and with her draft not coming along, her frustration only increased with every passing day. Carter didn’t need to be subjected to this.

“What do you have in mind,” Cat eventually asks, aware that she’s offering a truce.

“Really?” Christopher asks, sounding incredulous. “I mean, thanks! I was thinking I could come and pick him up in two days, on Friday, if that’s alright for you? I made a few reservations for a baseball game in Boston next week, a photograph class and VIP seats for a private exhibit at the museum of Fine Art …”

“You booked all that without even knowing if I would let you have him or if he would say yes to spend more time with you?” Cat arches a brow.

“Well, yes,” Christopher laughs. “I thought … better safe than sorry.”

“Alright,” Cat relents, knowing Carter will be over the moon about those plans. “You can call him and asks him yourself. I’ll take the opportunity to fly back to National City, I need a change of scenery.”

“Book not going so well?” Christopher asks, almost tentatively.   
Cat can tell he’s being cautious and given the last few words he’s said to her about her job, she’s not surprised.

“No,” Cat lets out a frustrated sigh. “I’m stuck and I’m hoping the penthouse will spark something.”

“If you want, I can keep Carter for another week, if that helps?” Christopher offers. “Just a thought …”

“First, ask him about the upcoming week,” Cat counters, not wanting to let Christopher get ahead of himself. “If he agrees, then you can ask for the second week as well.”

“You’re right, I’ll do that. I’m going to call him now, thanks Cat,” Christopher says, a smile in his voice. “Good luck, for the book.”

He hangs up without waiting for Cat’s niceties and she feels slightly grateful for that.   
She’s glad they’re being civilized, for the sake of their son, but in her eyes, he’s still an asshole, a jerk, a son of a bitch and a lot of other names that would make a sailor blush. 

Half an hour later, Carter comes bouncing out of the house to let her know he’s accepted his father’s offer.

“Will you be okay without me mom?” Carter asks, glancing at the empty glass in front of her.

“Don’t worry about me, sweetheart,” Cat smiles, typing something on her phone. “I’m booking my flight for National City, I think some time in the penthouse will help me get over my writer’s block …” 

“That’s a good idea,” Carter nods. “Will you see Lois while you’re there?”

“Probably,” Cat chuckles. “I’ll just tell her I bought some new italian wine we need to try, and she’ll be at my door within the hour.”

“Say hi to her for me!” Carter enthusiastically exclaims. “Maybe you’ll see Kara, too? She’s flying back tomorrow to write the article.” 

The mention of Kara makes Cat’s heart skip a beat before an inexplicable feeling of sadness takes over. She’s gotten so used to spending time with Kara almost every day for the past three weeks that the idea of not seeing her again still hasn’t settled in, despite Kara having bid her farewells earlier in the day. 

“Maybe,” Cat says, purposely staying evasive about her answer. 

It seems to be enough for Carter, who smiles and says he’s going back to finish his game.

“Don’t stay up too late, Sweetheart!” Cat calls after him but he’s already back in the house when she finishes her sentence.

She shakes her head and checks that she received confirmation for her flight before pulling out her contacts. Her finger hovers above Kara’s name for a moment before she shakes her head again and calls Lois instead.

“Kitty Cat!” Lois greets, almost instantly. “Well done on the interview! I just hung up with Kara, she says she has everything she needs and that she’s flying back tomorrow to start on the writing part. We should have her first draft soon.” 

Cat stays silent for a moment, processing. Ever since she lost the bet to Lois, she’s been looking forward to the end of the actual interview, wanting nothing more than to be done with it. Now that she is, all she feels is emptiness. Sadness, even. 

“I look forward to reading it,” Cat eventually manages to say, realising too late that she’s talking to Lois.

“Are you alright, Cat? You sound … out of it,” Lois gently probes, worry lining her voice. “Are you afraid of the result?” 

“No,” Cat instantly retorts, shaking her head. “Kara’s done an outstanding job, I trust she will write an incredible article.” 

“Then what is it?”

“Nothing,” Cat dismisses. “I’m just stuck with a bad case of writer’s block and it’s frustrating. Christopher is picking up Carter in two days and I’ll be flying off to National City on the same day. I’m hoping the change of scenery will help …”

“Hm,” Lois replies, noncommittally. “I can tell you’re not telling the whole truth, but let’s talk about this around a bottle of wine once you get here, how does that sound?”

“I knew I was keeping you around for a reason,” Cat laughs, feeling grateful for the fact Lois doesn’t push. She’s well aware she’ll have to deal with her best-friend’s unrelenting solicitude once she’s in National City but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “That was precisely why I called you.”

“Great minds!” Lois cheers, before the sound of a broken glass echoes in the background.

“Let me guess,” Cat sasses. “Barnaby broke something again?” 

“Son of a …” Lois grumbles, holding back at the last moment. 

Another voice, muffled but still recognizable, comes on the line. Cat patiently waits for her best-friend to deal with her girlfriend and the cat, taking the opportunity to refill her glass with Scotch and dipping one of her feet into the pool.

“Sorry Cat,” Lois eventually says, clearly disgruntled. “Apparently, the cat always comes first so I’m being told I need to stop buying fragiles vases.”

“Buy plastic ones, he won’t be able to break those,” Cat laughs, very amused by her best-friends current predicament. “Why is the cat still at your place, by the way?”

A pause.

“Well … Uh …” Lois stammers. “It’s just, he’s where his owner is, it makes sense”

“Lois,” Cat slowly enunciates. “Is this your twisted way of telling me Lana moved in with you?” 

“It’s not permanent-permanent yet,” Lois explains, sounding adamant. “Well, not quite anyway. I got the cat full time but …”

“You got the cat, but not the girl,” Cat starts laughing uncontrollably. 

“Shut up!” Lois mumbles. “Let me know when you land, I’ll swing by with a bottle of wine, or five.”

“Oh so you’re coming to my place to avoid the cat in yours,” Cat deduces, still shaking with quiet bouts of laughter. “Fine, I’ll send you a text. Bye Lois, say hi to Lana and Barnaby!”

“Asshole,” Lois affectionately replies.

They hang up at the same time and in the resuming silence of the night, Cat suddenly feels melancholic. Her conversation with Lois leaves her yearning for something like what her best-friend has, and she finds herself craving for someone to come home to, a domestic setting she could share with someone other than her son.

She lets out a quiet sigh, and chases away her thoughts with more alcohol.

\---

“You look terrible.”

“Geez, thanks,” Kara groans, leaving the door open before going back into her apartment, seemingly unbothered by her sister’s interruption.

Alex steps into Kara’s place and closes the door.   
Careful not to stumble on the many boxes littering the floor, she frowns at the general mess reigning all over the place. She knows her sister is a little messy sometimes but this is bad. There’s dirty dishes almost everywhere in sight, clothes thrown on the floor, boxes and books piled on some very dangerous edges and it smells. 

“Whoaw, what happened in here?” Alex says, looking at the kitchen with wide eyes. She can barely make out any surface, they all disappears under take-out boxes, dirty plates, half-empty coffee mugs and a lot of crumpled Red-Bull cans. “How long have you been holed up in here?” 

“Three days,” Kara replies from her spot on the floor, with her back against a wall and her macbook propped up onto her lap. A bunch of books and her faithful notebook are spread in a semi-circle around her.

“What the fuck, Kara!” Alex lets out a shocked gasp, glancing back at the apocalyptic kitchen. “That’s it, get up.”

“What? No, I’m not finished yet!” 

“I don’t care,” Alex stresses through her teeth, uncomfortable in such a messy setting. “You smell like bad onions and this place looks like the end of the world happened. I’m going to clean up while you go take a much needed shower.” 

“I don’t smell that bad,” Kara protests, raising an arm to sniff herself. She winces and scrunches her nose, under the sarcastic glare of her sister. “Alright, fine. Don’t touch my laptop.”

“I won’t. Now shoo, shower,” Alex points toward the bathroom in the back of the apartment. “You better smell like roses and sunshine when you come out, otherwise I’ll just send you back. Do you have any clean clothes in this mess of yours?”

Kara pokes her tongue out at her sister before standing up, her bones cracking so strongly Alex can hear it. She moves to a bunch of boxes in a corner and rummages through one of them before pulling out a clean sweater and a pair of sweatpants.

“Perfect,” Alex nods. “Now out of my way, this place needs an intervention.”

Kara doesn’t protests and takes her clean clothes with her to the bathroom while Alex starts opening all the windows in the place. She revels in the fresh gust of summer wind coming through the stuffy apartment, and rolls up her sleeves before walking to the kitchen. After finding a pair of gloves and a roll of trash bags, she starts throwing all the take-out boxes away. Next up, she travels the apartment to find all the dirty dishes and puts them in the dishwasher, launching its strongest program once it’s full. She finishes by cleaning up all the, finally, visible surfaces and nods to herself once everything is clean. 

Next, she picks up all the clothes on the floor and available surfaces and takes it upon herself to start doing a new batch of laundry, while she quickly vacuums the space. 

“You don’t have to do all this,” Kara says to her once she steps out of the bathroom, her hair still damp but looking much better than when she went in. “Thank you though. I’m sorry, I know you hate it when everything’s too messy.”

“That’s fine, Kara,” Alex dismisses with an amused smile. “I’ve been to med school and I’m a neurosurgeon, I’ve seen my fair share of messes. It’s just, it’s not like you to get so messy. What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong,” Kara shakes her head, distractingly playing with the hem of her sweater. “I just got to work the moment I came back and I haven’t really stopped since.”

Alex arches a brow at that. She knows her sister always gives her all to every article she writes but this still feels a little overboard. Kara’s been a reporter for a long time now, she’s been all over the globe and interviewed some fairly important people, by the world’s standards, and she never got so absorbed that she forgot to live. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” Alex slowly starts, pushing a button to turn the coffee machine on. She’s surprised there’s still coffee in her sister’s kitchen, after the amount of mugs, glasses and bowls she had to empty in the sink. “... but even your Gotham article about how political corruption has transformed the city over the years, which you almost won a Pulitzer for, didn’t provoke this level of mess in your place and yourself.” 

“It didn’t feel so important,” Kara shrugs, accepting the coffee Alex hands her. “This, on the other hand, feels like a really big deal. It’s not my area of expertise and I don’t want to make a single mistake.”

“How is a gossip interview more important than a whole political investigation about one of the most dangerous cities in the world?” Alex pushes, knowing she’s going a little too far but wanting to get a reaction out of her sister.

“It’s not a gossip interview,” Kara growls, glaring at Alex above her coffee mug. “And you know it. It’s Cat Grant’s first interview, and I gotta get it right. I mean, it’s the first time she’ll be out in the world; one wrong word and I’ll be ruining the first impression her fans will have of her. I have to make sure her voice is not altered.”

Alex quietly observes her sister, noticing how Kara gestures with one hand to emphasize her point, the passion fiercely gleaming in her eyes, and how her whole face lights up when she talks about Cat. 

“Alright,” Alex nods, deciding it’s a battle she can fight another day, once the article is up for example. She knows it’s pointless to argue with her sister when she’s in the middle of something. “Go back to writing, I’ll go do some grocery shopping to stock your kitchen and then I’ll assemble your couch.”

“What?” Kara frowns, confused.

“Come on, I heard your back crack when you got up, sitting on the floor for so long is terrible for your posture,” Alex rolls her eyes. “I’ll take care of it while you work and maybe I can even set up a TV, while I am at it …”

“I don’t have a TV,” Kara shakes her head, laughing at the horrified look Alex throws her way. “Sorry, but I just didn’t buy one, and since I mostly watch stuff on my laptop …”

“You’re a disaster,” Alex sighs, waving her sister away while she retrieves her wallet and her keys. “I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

Kara’s already back on the floor when Alex leaves, her fingers flying above the keyboard as they type.

\---

When Lois steps out of the elevator in Cat’s building, she notices the door is already open. 

She still knocks, out of habit, before letting herself in and closing the door behind her.  
She drops her keys on the small table pushed on the wall next to the door and drops her heels underneath, before padding to the main room. It’s empty, so she drops her purse in one of the armchairs, fishes her cellphone out of it and goes in search of her best-friend.

“There you are,” Lois eventually greets, exiting Cat’s office and venturing onto the balcony overlooking National City’s skyline. 

“Hello Lois,” Cat smiles, not looking up from the screen of her macbook. “I need to finish something but help yourself to a drink, I’ll be with you in a moment.”

“Sure thing,” Lois knows better than to insist when inspiration strikes. 

Instead, she goes back inside to find the liquor cabinet. She pours two heavy tumblers of Scotch and brings them back on the balcony, leaving one glass next to Cat’s laptop before stepping aside to enjoy the view. It’s still early in the evening and the sun is shining softly behind the skyscrapers of the city. The light reflects on every surface and makes the whole sea of building look like an ocean of crystals. 

“Nevermind, it’s gone again,” Cat lets out a frustrated sigh before closing her laptop. “Obviously, the change of scenery doesn’t work.”

Lois turns her head and watches as Cat empties her drink in three big gulps. In all their shared history, both as best-friends and as author and agent, it’s the first time she’s seen Cat stuck with writer’s block for so long. Of course it happened before, bad case of imposter syndrome, paralyzing fears of not being good enough, doubts about her actual talent and how the fans are all wrong to like her work, but it usually goes away in a few days, two weeks top. 

“It’s been what,” Lois softly says, bringing Cat’s attention to her. “Over a month now, that you haven’t been able to finish anything?” 

“Is this your way of starting a pep talk?” Cat sarcastically says, glaring at Lois.”If so, it definitely could use some work.”

“Relax, Kitty Cat,” Lois chuckles, coming to sit next to her friend on the balcony sofa. “It’s not that bad.”

“Not that bad?” Cat protests, frowning in outrage. “I’ve never been so frustrated in my life, how is that ‘not that bad’?” 

Lois is half-tempted to jump on the possible innuendo she heard in Cat’s words but she knows it wouldn’t do her any good. Cat is clearly not in the mood to receive such humor.

“I’m surprised it took so long to happen, trutfully,” Lois simply replies, with a warm smile. “Most writers I know get stuck way earlier in their career, and for months on end. You’ve been able to write almost non stop ever since your first book, with a terrifying regularity. So from where I stand ... It was bound to happen to you too, you know?” 

Cat closes her mouth and swallows the reply she’d been about to release. Lois quietly sips her drink while Cat absorbs herself in some deep thinking, the light of the evening slowly changing around them.

“I just don’t understand why I feel so … stuck,” Cat eventually sighs, leaning against the cushion at her back. “It’s never happened before, not like this anyway, and I don’t know what to make out of it.” 

“Why does it feel different?” Lois asks, eyes intent on her friend’s face. She’s got her own idea but she can’t say anything for now, she suspects Cat wouldn’t be able to hear it. 

“I don’t know,” Cat starts, frowning as she tries to express herself. “So far, my writer’s block has always been tied to a specific reason, or several. Like when I got scared my political thriller wouldn’t entice my fans, or when I thought it was just one big joke, that it was a fluke and that I would never make it as a real, actual author. This time … It’s not that.”

Figures, Lois thinks, fighting against the need to roll her eyes.

“Well, I’m sure there’s a reason for this specific writer’s block,” Lois says instead. “You just haven’t identified it yet.”

Cat throws her a suspicious look but Lois only smiles, charmingly.

“Do you have an idea?” Cat asks, arching an unimpressed brow.

“I do, but you wouldn’t believe me anyway; so I’ll let you come to the realisation by yourself,” Lois nods, raising a hand to prevent the evident protest Cat is about to voice. “I’m serious, Cat. I won’t tell you. Now, let’s have dinner. I’m in the mood for sushi, what do you think?”

Cat sighs and nods.

Dinner is a lovely affair, with Lois making it a point to distract Cat with stories of the agency, gossip about the latest development of the transphobic author on twitter, and even some personal tales of her adjustment with Barnaby. Those make Cat laugh.

“Alright Cat, it’s getting late,” Lois eventually says when the clock nears eleven. “I’m going to go but before I leave, I have something for you.”

Lois moves to her purse and pulls a magazine out of it.

“This is not the real deal, just a proof we need you to approve before it goes public,” Lois explains, handing the paper over to her friend. “You were right, you know? She really did an outstanding job.”

On the cover, the glazed picture Kara took of Cat with the sun at her back gleams under the soft lighting of the room. 

“She titled the interview “How does she do it?’ and I absolutely love the title,” Lois chuckles, watching as the shock slowly fades away from Cat’s face, replaced by some kind of trepidation. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Cat. Goodnight!”

She drops a kiss on her friend’s cheek and leaves, careful to close the door behind her.

\---

“Miss Grant? It’s the middle of the night, what are you doing here?”

Kara’s voice is heavy with sleep when she opens the door to her apartment, clad in nothing but an oversized white t-shirt that barely covers the bottom of her blue Calvin Klein boy shorts. 

The sight takes Cat’s breath away, along with the words she’d been about to say.   
All of a sudden, she can think of nothing at all, and her eyes widen at the unexpected display of bare skin. The dim lighting of the hallway makes Kara’s legs and arms stand out against the white of her top and the gold of her mussed hair. 

“Is everything alright?” Kara insists, seemingly trying to blink herself awake.

“I …” Cat starts, prompted by the worry in Kara’s sleepy eyes. Her mind is still drawing a blank and she struggles to come up with something to say. “I read the article.”

“Oh,” Kara breathes, suddenly looking more awake. “Oh! Uh, well, come on in …”

She hides a yawn behind her hand, rubs it over her still bleary eyes and then widens the door. 

Cat steps in and curiously takes in her surroundings while Kara closes the door behind them.

There are boxes everywhere, piled up against the bare walls and littering the hardwood floor. Through a good number of high-windows encased in the brick stone wall on the left, the nocturnal lights of the city are coming in, giving the space a soft halo. It perfectly highlights the silhouette of what looks like a brand new couch and reflects on the empty surfaces of the kitchen on the right. The place is empty, aside from the couch and the piles of books scattered all around, perched on the boxes or stacked up on the floor itself. 

“Are you …” Cat swallows, fighting against a sudden wave of panic. “Are you moving out?”

The very idea of Kara leaving makes her feel extremely uncomfortable. 

“What?” Kara frowns, looking around before shaking her head no. “No I’m … moving in, actually. I mean, I moved in a while ago, but I never got around to unpacking.”

The invisible hand around Cat’s heart slowly releases its grip and she lets out a quiet, relieved sigh. 

The delicate and intricate mixture of distant neon light and bright moon beams give the place a strange and poetical glow. It bounces on the floor, splatters on the walls and reflects softly across every available surface.

“Wait,” Kara frowns, looking suspicious. “How do know my address?”

Cat lets out a small chuckle before turning to face Kara.   
A silver ray of light falls right on Kara’s tousled hair and it makes the golden hues look almost white, in the relative darkness of the room. 

“I asked Lana Lang,” Cat replies, trying not to get too distracted by how Kara’s bare skin glows under the night lights. 

“Really? And she gave up my address, just like that?” 

“Well, not exactly,” Cat shakes her head. Pulling the woman out of bed past midnight to ask for Kara’s address isn’t one of her finest moment, and the memory makes her mentally wince. “It took some … persuasion, and then some threatening.”

“Rude!” Kara protests, looking strangely outraged for the middle of the night. “Wait, did you … did you use Barnaby as leverage?”

Cat tries not to laugh at Kara’s rightful disapproval. It awakes a warm and affectionate feeling in her, how Kara always seem to care about other people first. She suddenly remembers her discussion with Alex, on how Kara is a people person who’s very good at hiding her wounds behind unbreakable walls, a fortress as Alex described it. 

“I … might have, yes,” Cat eventually admits, a little sheepishly. 

“You’re so mean! Why are you so mean?” Kara glares, crossing her arms over her chest. She stands tall and proud against the kitchen island, the distant neon lights splashing over the polished surface and making her skin glow with faded colors. “What was so urgent that you needed to see me in the middle of the night anyway?” 

The question brings Cat back to reality.

“I … read your article,” Cat repeats, trying to come up with something else to say. 

“So you’ve said, yes,” Kara nods, eyes intent on Cat. They glow and shine, in the relative darkness of the place, and it’s distracting. “What? Is it so bad you needed to come right away to yell at me?”

The self-deprecation in Kara’s tone makes Cat frown.  
It didn’t even cross her mind that the reporter could be insecure about her writing, but then again, she didn’t make it easy for Kara. Every step of the way has been a battle, and it only makes sense that Kara would be afraid Cat didn’t like the result.

“That article is many, many things, but it is far, far from bad,” Cat counters, shaking her head no. She drops her purse on the couch, next to Kara’s closed laptop, and turns to face Kara again. “I don’t think I can express just how much I love the article, Kara.” 

The look in Kara’s sparkling blue eyes is skeptical, full of doubts. 

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Kara?” Cat insists, taking a step forward in her direction. 

Kara’s first instinct is to shake her head but a flash of recognition suddenly crosses her features. Her eyes widen a little and the shadow of a small smile tugs at the corner of her lips.

“Do you?” Cat pushes, taking another step toward Kara.

“I … think so?” Kara tries, slowly. She looks stunned but her voice doesn’t waver when she continues. “You’re … the most famous, most talented, most acclaimed, most influential writer in the whole world. Words are like oxygen to you, so for you to be unable to find the right ones … It means …”

“It means you’ve rendered me speechless,” Cat smiles encouragingly, finally stepping in front of Kara. “Your article … Is that truly how you see me?”

For a moment, Kara stays silent. The gleam in her eyes becomes even more intent and Cat drowns in it like in an ocean. She looks hesitant but she doesn’t move and eventually, she opens her mouth to reply.

“It’s … part of it, yes.”

It’s soft and quiet, in the stillness of the night, yet it sounds deafening in Cat’s ears.

“There’s … more?” Cat gasps, staring into Kara’s eyes and watching, a little mesmerized, as the faded neon lights play with its shades of blue.

“I …” Kara takes a breath, steadying herself. “I wrote the article for the whole world to read. I only shared one version of you, the one everyone needs to know. I didn’t have to share everything though.” 

Cat slowly raises a hand and pushes away one of Kara’s wayward strands of hair. The gesture is slow and gentle, she’s half-expecting Kara to escape it but she’s relieved and pleased when it doesn’t happen.

“So tell me,” Cat whispers, searching for some sign in Kara’s eyes. “What did you keep for yourself?”

Kara stays silent but Cat is close enough to notice the way her chest rises and falls, a little too fast. She raises her hand again and closes her fingers around Kara’s bicep, anchoring her while she stares intently into a pair of glowing eyes.

“Tell me,” Cat insists, softly.

Kara lets out a ragged breath and nods, surrendering under Cat’s gaze.

“The world didn’t have to know about …” Kara starts, her voice but a whisper in the quietness of the night. Cat doesn’t miss a word of it. “About the way you tap your chin with your index when you are plotting and planning.”

Cat arches a surprised brow, having not expected to hear about such a small detail. She nods but doesn’t comment on it.

“What else?” Cat smiles encouragingly.

“The fact you have a sweet tooth no one, besides Carter, seems to know about,” Kara adds, her voice still low.

“How did you …” Cat blinks, stunned. She’s always been very careful about not betraying how much she likes sugar. Even Lois seemed to think she was one of those naturally healthy people who prefer kale to cake. 

“You have a popcorn machine in your movie room,” Kara smiles, a flash of amusement shining in her eyes. “You also helped yourself to two slices of the chocolate cake you brought to the party, on the 4th.” 

“Aren’t you observant,” Cat chuckles lightly. “Thank you, for not revealing that to the world.”

“You actually love science fiction, in books and movies,” Kara continues, slightly bolder now. “You have a few collector Star Trek items scattered across your office and at the party, you made a Voyager joke with Alex without even noticing it.”

“Does that mean you’re a nerd too?” Cat laughs, openly this time. 

She’s never realized Kara had been paying such attention to the details. It makes the warm and fuzzy feeling in her stomach spread and rise, grow. 

“Like you didn’t already know,” Kara rolls her eyes, a soft smile finally gracing her lips. “You like your job as a CEO as much as being a writer. You often complain about budget reviews, about people’s performance, about supply chain mistakes and whatnot ... but you wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Cat realises Kara is slowly venturing onto a more personal ground. She’s not talking about what she could actually see but things she’s perceived and felt, intuitively deduced even. 

“You had an elitist upbringing, and it was somehow controlled and restrained,” Kara murmurs, eyes plunged into Cat’s. “Which is why you rarely, if ever, allow yourself to fully laugh. The only times I’ve heard you actually laugh happened around Carter, or when you unconsciously let down your guard. Which is a shame, truly. You have such a boisterous and infectious laugh, it’s a beautiful sound.” 

Cat gasps, blinking under Kara’s intent gaze. 

“You hide it well, but you crave touch and physical affection,” Kara continues, slowly freeing herself from Cat’s hold on her arm. She hesitates for a moment before raising both palms to hold Cat’s face and the feeling, so warm and soft, almost makes her melt. “It’s probably because of your upbringing and all the heartbreak you’ve gone through in your life, and also because Carter is very particular about which people he allows in his personal space …”

Kara slowly moves her thumbs to brush against Cat’s cheeks. It’s very soft and light, a feather touch that makes butterflies buzz in her stomach and makes her ache for so much more. 

“Whether I did it on purpose or absentmindedly, you always seemed to lean into my touch,” Kara murmurs, slowly leaning forward. “You’ve let quiet but content sighs escape you every single time I’ve touched you.”

Kara’s words are sending bolts of warmth through her lower belly, making Cat’s heart race increasingly faster with every single one. 

“Those are some parts of you I’ve kept for myself, because I don’t want the rest of the world to know,” Kara finishes, her face inches away from Cat’s. A ray of moonlight, coming from behind Cat, hits her face in such a way it enlights her eyes and makes them shine like diamonds. 

“Now, why did you come here in the middle of the night, Cat?”

It’s the way Kara pronounces her name that does it.

\---

Kissing Cat is, at once, exactly like she imagined it, and not at all what she’s expected.

It’s strong, intense and intoxicatingly powerful and at the same time, there’s some strange hesitancy to the moment, a hint of shyness to the way Cat’s lips mold against hers. Kara leans forward and tightens her grip around Cat’s face, thumbs still stroking the apple of Cat’s cheeks as she deepens the kiss.

It tastes like alcohol and abandon, like the rain after a summer storm too. 

She’s been dreaming of kissing Cat since the day of the photo shoot.

At first, she didn’t realize it because she just thought it was her crush, acting up. She’s denied it in front of her sister and Eliza but she did have a massive crush on Cat Grant, before it turned into something deeper, something stronger, something scarier.   
That day, as she kept snapping pictures of the Grants, she all but fell in love.

Kara slowly breaks the kiss and stares into Cat’s eyes, too shocked to know what to say. 

The loud drumming in her ears makes her realise how fast her heart is going. She feels it pulse against the tip of her fingers, on Cat’s cheeks, and beats against her neck. 

The smile that blooms on Cat’s lips is bold, genuine and so incredibly affectionate, it makes her green eyes shine. 

“To do that,” Cat whispers, a hint of smugness in her voice.

It takes a formidable effort on Kara’s part to remember what she’d asked that would spark this response. At first, she frowns, feeling a little lost and puzzled, but when realisation hits; she chuckles.

“Oh,” Kara breathes around her smile. “Totally worth it then.”

“Really?”

“Hm,” Kara nods. She slowly removes her hands from around Cat’s face and chuckles again when Cat frowns at the gesture. “But maybe just to be sure, you should try again.” 

It makes Cat roll her eyes and Kara laughs.

Next thing she knows, Cat’s lips are on hers and it steals her laugh away. The kiss is instantly too intense, too strong, devastatingly arousing and Kara closes her arms around Cat’s silhouette, pulling her closer. 

“Damn, you’re hot,” Cat murmurs in between two kisses, her words a breath against Kara’s swollen lips.

“Why, thank you!” Kara chuckles, a little surprised at the unexpected compliment.

“No, I mean your skin is burning hot,” Cat rolls her eyes again, hands traveling along Kara’s bare arms and making her shudder. 

“Yes, I’m hot, is what it means,” Kara insists, teasingly. 

She drops a kiss at the corner of Cat’s mouth and then trails down to her jaw, playing along the side of it with just the tip of her tongue and her lips. She’s halfway down to Cat’s chin when she feels one hand tangle in her hair and another one close around a handful of her t-shirt.

“You’re impossible,” Cat mutters before letting out a ragged gasp when Kara gently uses teeth around the pulsing point in her neck. “Case in point.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you mean,” Kara innocently fake-protests, dropping more kisses at the base of Cat’s neck and then wandering along her collarbone, toward her shoulder. “Why do you have such fancy clothes on? It’s the middle of the night ...”

“I …” Cat stops, seemingly very distracted by Kara’s tongue exploring the dip and hollow around her collarbone. “I had ... dinner with ... Lois and I … came …”

“Did you, now?” Kara can’t help but laugh, the sound reverberating on Cat’s skin.

“Shut up,” Cat groans, pushing on Kara’s chest. 

Kara doesn’t give in and chooses to kiss Cat again. As Cat returns the gesture and presses forward, Kara takes the opportunity to slowly reach out and starts unzipping Cat’s dress.

“Is this … okay?” Kara asks, breaking the kiss to look into Cat’s evergreen eyes. She doesn’t stop pulling at the zip on Cat’s back but she slows her motion, leaving the author plenty of time to escape if she wants too. 

“You are agonizingly slow, but other than that, this is perfectly okay,” Cat sasses, slowly tilting her body to the side and putting her hands on her hips. 

“How am I the impossible one in this arrangement?” Kara laughs, already leaning forward to capture Cat’s response between her lips. She pulls the zip all the way down and uses both of her hands to push the fabric over Cat’s shoulders, before tugging at it to make it fall onto the floor. 

“Oh,” Kara breathes out, eyes widening. 

In front of her, bathed in the strange glow of the evening’s lights, Cat stands in nothing but white lace underwear. 

Moonbeams hit her right shoulder, a spot above her left hip bone and the back of her knees and Kara watches, enthralled, as it surrounds Cat like a divine halo. Her golden hair seems made of silver, in the natural moon light, and the pieces of clothing she’s still wearing look like they’re made out of some kind of ethereal fabric. 

“See something you like?” Cat asks, smugly.

“Damn,” Kara murmurs, for lack of a better word. 

“Such eloquence,” Cat laughs, sounding very pleased. “What a sweet talker you are, dear …”

“Says the woman who admitted to being speechless, only moments earlier …” Kara manages to reply, arching an amused brow.

She takes a step forward and reaches to touch the side of Cat’s hip where a moonbeam hits. The skin under her palm is soft and warm, it twitches and tenses when she flattens her hand on it. She brings her other hand to the other side of Cat’s waist and tightens her hold, slowly pulling Cat to her.

The kiss is a little softer. Breathless too. 

Kara obliges when Cat impatiently tugs at her t-shirt and raises her arms to allow the author to pull it off. 

She watches, a little anxiously, as Cat’s eyes rake over the whole expanse of her body, lingering on her breasts, her abs, and narrowing at her shorts.

“Damn, you’re hot,” Cat whispers again, a shallow edge lining her voice this time. 

Kara smiles in relief, half-tempted to make a comment about Cat’s eloquence but she instead opts for another kiss, bringing her hands back to Cat’s waist. She takes a step back and Cat follows, instinctively.

They stumble against a bunch of boxes and walls, almost trip a few time, swear and laugh a lot, but eventually they reach Kara’s bedroom. 

It’s not long before Kara finds herself straddled by a half-naked Cat, whose eyes glow even more strongly now that only the moonlight filters into Kara’s bedroom. 

Enraptured, Kara reaches out and touches Cat’s shoulder, treading lightly to climb up along the side of her neck and finally tangling her fingers into Cat’s silver-looking curls. She gently presses on Cat’s head and brings their lips together while her other hand softly traces patterns on Cat’s thigh. 

“I swear to God Kara, if you keep toying with my patience …” Cat growls, one of her hands coming to grab Kara’s on her leg and bringing it higher.

“You’ll do what?” Kara provokes. She turns Cat’s head to the side just so she could apply the tip of her tongue to the soft patch of skin behind the author’s ear. 

It makes Cat shudder and whimper at once, the sound alone sending waves of arousal down to Kara’s lower belly. She presses a kiss on the sensitive spot before trailing down to Cat’s neck and collarbone, and then lower, until she reaches the laced hem of Cat’s bra.

“This,” Kara murmurs above the garment. “This has to go.”

She untangles her fingers from Cat’s hair, leaving her other hand high-up on Cat’s leg, and unclasps the bra. She sends it flying across the room before lowering her mouth until she closes her lips around one of Cat’s tits. 

“Oh fuck,” Cat growls, the sound echoing in the room and doing nothing to help Kara’s state of arousal. 

“I will, I will,” Kara laughs against Cat’s breast and moves her free hand to the small of Cat’s back. “Patience.”

“I don’t have any left,” Cat points out, through ragged breath and a few curses, as Kara’s tongue toys with her sensitive tit.

Kara hears the slight warning in Cat’s tone.   
She pulls back just enough to look up into Cat’s eyes, quietly asking for permission.

“Kara,” Cat murmurs, her name half a plea and half an order.

Kara doesn’t make her wait any longer.

\---

The insistant buzzing of a phone on a hard surface wakes her up and she lets out a very unhappy groan. 

Instinctively, she tries to reach out in the general direction of the sound but finds herself unable to move. Her whole right side is heavily weighed down and to her surprise, she finds it’s not uncomfortable, not in the least. It’s warm and soft, safe.

Cat opens an eye and groans again at the unexpected amount of light filtering through the room. It takes another few tries before she manages to keep her eyes open and eventually, she realises she’s somewhere new.

“Too early,” A voice mumbles next to her, against her shoulder more specifically. “Sleep.”

That’s all it takes for the memories of last night to come running.   
Flashes of flushed bare bodies moving against each-other, of long golden hair spilling from above, of wide smiles and joyful laughs, and she lets out a content sigh. Her whole body aches and she’s sore in places she didn’t even know existed but she feels incredibly happy.

“Morning sunshine,” Cat laughs and drops a kiss on Kara’s forehead before freeing herself from the reporter’s hold. The phone keeps buzzing on the nightstand and it troubles Cat’s peace of mind. “Your phone is ringing.”

“Hm, leave it,” Kara mumbles, cuddling back against Cat’s flank.

She’s absolutely gorgeous, with the sunlight hitting her broad and muscular back, the sheet resting low on it. She glows, and her golden hair only accentuates the impression. It takes Cat’s breath away.

“Fine, but I have to go check mine,” Cat murmurs, dropping another kiss on Kara’s cheek this time. “Carter might have called.”

In her half-asleep state, Kara only nods and releases her hold on Cat’s side, allowing her to leave the bed. She picks up one of Kara’s discarded t-shirts and puts it on before wandering out of the bedroom, in search of her phone. 

She comes back a little later, holding two mugs of coffee and her phone.

“I made you coffee, I figured you might need it after your exploits last night …” Cat teases, placing one mug on Kara’s night stand. 

“Hmm,” Kara mumbles, opening her eyes before closing them again. “Did Carter call?”

“No, but it’s still a little early,” Cat sighs, circling around the bed to carefully place her own mug on the other nightstand, “it’s only nine thirty.”

“What?!” Kara suddenly opens both her eyes, looking outraged. “It’s way too early! Let’s go back to sleep.”

Cat gets pulled down on the mattress and finds herself safely tucked in between Kara’s arms, who already looks well on her way to slumber. 

“You look good in my shirt,” Kara mumbles, a smile hinting on her lips.

“Better than I do without it?” Cat teases and she chuckles when Kara shakes her head no. “Good to know.”

The smile blooming on Kara’s lips is lazy and soft. Cat just can’t resist and leans in to kiss it. It’s gentle and slow, tender. Kara seems content to just follow Cat’s lead, humming appreciatively when Cat breaks apart.

Half an hour later, a loud and dynamic ringtone echoes in the bedroom. Cat winces and curses, trying to reach for her phone before it wakes Kara. The ID displayed on her screen makes her pause and then sigh.

“Lois,” Cat greets, as quietly as possible. “To what do I owe the displeasure?”

“Morning to you too, Kitty Cat! Late night?” Lois chuckles, chirpy as ever. 

“Actually, yes,” Cat replies, trying to ignore the way Kara’s hands slowly start to wander a little too low on her abdomen. “Is there something you need?”

She glances to the woman next to her and sees that Kara is actually wide awake, eyes shining with mischief and an amused smirk on her lips.

“Well, I wanted your opinion on Kara’s article,” Lois explains, a paper shuffling sound echoing down the line. “You never reached out yesterday after I gave it to you …”

Cat bites the inside of her cheek to avoid letting out a frustrated whimper when Kara’s hands climb back up along her body, deliciously warm and soft.

“Kara’s article?” Cat absentmindedly repeats, trying to focus on Lois’ words and not on Kara’s fingers as they circle her breasts, under the t-shirt, and dangerously ventures closer to her already hardening tits. “What about it?”

Kara bites down her lower lip, obviously trying not to laugh and the sight of it sends bolts of desire down between Cat’s legs. The sunlight filtering in makes Kara’s tan look even more impressive and Cat just wants to taste it.

“What did you think of it?” Lois insists, sounding a little perplexed.

“Oh,” Cat says, not in reaction to Lois’ question but to Kara’s fingers flickering around her nipple. Kara’s smile is wide and full of mischief, eyes intent on Cat. “It was good.”

“Good?” Lois repeats, this time really surprised. Kara pulls the t-shirt up and leans in, replacing her fingers with her mouth and it takes all of Cat’s self-control not to cry out. “Just … good?”

Cat squirms in the mattress, half-tempted to push Kara away but already too far gone to do just that.

“No I mean,” Cat tries, really tries, to focus on what her best-friend is saying. “It’s an incredible article, Lois. She’s done …” 

Kara uses a hint of teeth and Cat almost swears out loud.

“Cat, are you alright?” Lois asks, clearly concerned.

“I”m fine. I was saying, Kara did an outstanding job …” Cat dismisses, mostly thinking about the previous night and not that much about the article. Kara’s hands start to trail down once more and Cat can’t refrain her impatient moan this time.

“OH MY GOD,” Lois suddenly squeals into the phone and Cat winces. “She’s there, isn’t she? You spent the night with her!”

“What? No, why do you …” Cat tries to deny but then Kara’s mouth leaves her breast and she whimpers in protest. Kara laughs and then takes Cat’s phone.

“Hi Lois, would you mind calling Cat later?” Kara greets, sounding too amused for the situation. “As she said, I am doing an outstanding job …”

Cat doesn’t hear what Lois says but whatever it is, it makes Kara laugh her heart out.

Cat can only stares, mesmerized, as the laughter shakes Kara’s whole body, making her breasts bounce, her shoulders tremble and her abdomen tense. She’s glorious in her golden nakedness, with the light of the day tangling in her hair.

“She says she’ll call you later and she will want details,” Kara explains, handing the phone over to Cat.

“You’re impossible,” Cat shakes her head, fighting against a smile.

“So you’ve said,” Kara smirks. “Now, where was I?”

Cat barely has time to place her phone on the nightstand before Kara starts to ravish her.


	4. EPILOGUE

The door opens right as Cat steps onto the porch.

“Hello Cat!” Alex greets her with a warm smile. “They’re in the kitchen, Mom is teaching Carter how to apply icing to cupcakes …”

Alex takes the cardbox from her hands and gestures for the back of the house with her free hand.

“Hello Alex,” Cat smiles, happy to see the older Danvers. “I brought you a bottle of red wine, the one you liked so much at dinner last time.” 

“Really? Thank you!” Alex almost squeals, looking genuinely surprised and happy. “Come in, come in.”

Cat steps forward and follows Alex to the kitchen.

“Hi mom!” Carter looks up from his tray of cupcakes and gives her a warm, happy smile. “I’m almost done!”

The apron he wears around his neck, tied to his waist, states his name in bold blue and red letters and he looks perfectly at ease in the Danvers kitchen.

“It looks good, sweetheart,” Cat praises him, noticing the perfect icing on the baked goods. 

“Hello Cat!” Eliza chimes in, exiting the pantry with a bag of flour in her hands. She leaves it on the counter island next to Carter before coming closer to engulf Cat in a hug. “I’m so happy to see you!”

It still startles Cat, even after one year, how easy it is for the Danvers to be openly affectionate. She returns the hug with a quiet but happy sigh, because she loves it.

“Hello Eliza,” Cat finally says, dropping a kiss on the woman’s cheek. It seems to please Eliza, whose smile is as wide and blinding as Kara’s. “Thank you for having me, and for keeping an eye on Carter while I was in Metropolis.”

“Nonsense, it was my pleasure,” Eliza waves off Cat’s thanks and then returns to her kitchen.

“Come on, let’s not stand in the way,” Alex chuckles, resting a hand on Cat’s elbow to lead her outside. “It’s mom’s kingdom and besides, the wine is that way.”

“Ah, now you’re talking,” Cat chuckles, once again following after Alex to the buffet outside.

“I should probably warn you, there’s a few more people than last year,” Alex warns, before stepping out of the house and down to the backyard.

“Kitty Cat! Nice of you to finally show up,” Lois comes first, kissing Cat on both cheeks. “What took you so long?”

“Lois?” Cat blinks, having not expected her best-friend to be at the Danvers 4th of July party. “What are you doing here?”

“Kara invited me,” Lois replies, unfazed by Cat’s bluntness. 

“Miss Grant, pleasure to see you again,” says another woman next to Lois. She’s got flamboyant red hair, fair skin sparkled with freckles, and green eyes that shine like a lake under a summer sun. 

“Hello Lana,” Cat smiles at her, noticing the arm closed around Lois’ waist. “How’s the wedding planning going?” 

“Smoothly,” Lana chuckles, glancing sideway at Lois. “I mean, as smoothly as expected, given who I am marrying.” 

“Hey!” Lois protests, looking outraged. 

It makes Cat and Alex chuckle. 

They’re quickly joined by a bunch of people and the conversation is easy, light, and fun. 

When Alex brings her a glass of white wine, Cat can’t help the sudden flashback that crosses her mind, of Alex offering her spare glass before talking about Kara. It’s gone as quickly as it came and she focuses back on the conversation. 

At some point, Winn and Brainy start talking about Star Trek and after only a moment of hesitation, she joins the debate. It earns her a gleeful squeal from Winn and an impressed whistle from Alex and she marvels at how at home she feels amongst Kara’s friends and family.

She’s in the middle of making a very important point about Voyager when two arms slide around her waist from behind and a kiss is pressed against the side of her neck.

“Hello gorgeous,” Kara whispers against her ear, her voice a little low.

Cat swirls around in Kara’s arms and greedily takes in the sight of her girlfriend.

Kara’s skin even more suntanned than when she left for Asia, a month ago.  
She’s tied her golden hair into a messy ponytail but wayward strands escape and carelessly frame her smile and sparkling blue eyes. Her crumpled clothes, a pale blue shirt and a denim blue jean, betray the fact she’s just off a plane, but she radiates happiness and joy.

“Hi,” Cat whispers, leaning in. “You’re here.”

“Well, where else would I be?” Kara laughs, the sound of it making Cat’s inside melt. She’s missed this, so much. “I mean it is my family’s hou--”

The rest of her sentence gets swallowed by Cat’s fierce and desperate kiss. 

Cat could almost cry in relief at how good it feels to finally have Kara in her arms and under her lips again. They’ve been apart for a whole month, with almost no contact at all, and Cat isn’t sure she can go through another prolonged absence like that. Kara’s hands quickly fall onto her hips, heavy and warm, tight. It’s familiar, comforting, and she instinctively presses forward against Kara’s body. She tastes a hint of mint on Kara’s tongue and sighs into the kiss.

“Ahem.”

The look in Kara’s eyes when they pull apart is hooded and glazed, she looks stunned. Cat can certainly relate, her heart beating too fast against her temple. She instinctively tangles her hands into Kara’s shirt, keeping her close.

“Hi Alex!” Kara eventually manages to blinks herself back into reality and offers a warm smile to her sister. “It’s been a while!”

“Hi sis,” Alex smiles, looking very amused. At her side, Sara’s eyes are sparkling with amusement too, but she doesn’t say anything. “How about you go and change?”

“That’s …” Kara looks down at her outfit and then laughs. “Good idea. I’ll be back!”

Kara turns and offers her hand to Cat, who accepts it without a second thought. She eagerly follows Kara inside the house, purposely ignoring Lois and Alex’s knowing smirks.

She finds herself pressed against the door of Kara’s childhood bedroom, with Kara’s body pressing against her. She lets out a relieved moan when Kara’s hands hike up her skirt and slide on the skin of her thighs, her whole body buzzing with need and want. 

“I’ve missed you,” Kara murmurs against her ear before kissing the soft patch of skin below it. It makes Cat shudder and whimper, because she is this close already. “I don’t think I can go that long without seeing you again …”

Cat brings her hands up and cups Kara’s face, pulling her in for a kiss. 

It’s fierce and thundering, it’s a “welcome home” and a “don’t ever leave me again” kind of kiss and the only reason Cat breaks it is because Kara’s fingers find the exact right spot where she needs them the most.

She lets out a loud moan and comes against Kara’s hand.

“That didn’t take long,” Kara chuckles, lips swollen and eyes aglow with arousal. “Again?”

Cat shakes her head no and slowly pushes away at Kara.  
As much as she would love to go at it again, they’re in Kara’s childhood home, with their family and friends downstairs. The selfish part of her also wants to take her time; to relearn all of Kara’s body.

“Tonight,” Cat promises, dropping a ragged kiss on Kara’s lips and stroking the back of her fingers against Kara’s cheek. “For now, let’s just go enjoy the fourth of July with our family.” 

Kara kisses her again, fiercely so, and it takes all of Cat’s self-control not to go back on her decision to wait. She returns the gesture and then pushes Kara away, reminding her she needs to change.

“You might want to wait outside then,” Kara laughs, slowly starting to unbutton her shirt. “Come on, I’ll join you downstairs.”

Cat reluctantly leaves the room and checks herself in a mirror before going back downstairs.

“Already? Damn,” Lois teases her the moment she steps out of the house.

“Shut up,” Cat mutters, not even trying to fight against the fully blown smile that graces her lips at the idea Kara’s finally back. 

“I’m happy for you, Cat,” Lois says, more seriously this time. “You’re happier than I’ve ever seen you in my life, save for Carter’s birth, and it suits you.” 

“I truly am happy,” Cat replies, watching as Alex helps Carter onto her shoulders to fight against Nia and Sara, in the pool. “I didn’t think …”

“You’d be this happy?” Lois supplies, reaching forward to gently squeeze Cat’s forearm.

“Yes,” Cat admits, thinking back on where she was a year ago, stuck with her latest book and fighting her unexpected feelings for a pesky reporter with baby blue eyes and a blinding smile.

“I’m glad I picked her for the interview,” Lois congratulates herself with a chuckle. “Although, I suppose we should also thank Barnaby … He somehow helped bring you two together.”

“Who’s cat-sitting Barnaby, by the way?” 

“My sister,” Lois replies. “They get along entirely to well for my liking, I’m jealous.”

“Lucy always did have a way with cats,” Cat smiles.

“As do I,” Kara chimes in, coming to stand next to Cat with a mischievous smirk on her lips.

“A cat pun? Really?” Cat rolls her eyes, trying not to get distracted by the sight of Kara in a red swimming bra and a pair of navy blue swimming shorts. 

“What? It’s true,” Kara laughs, dropping a kiss on Cat’s cheeks before leaving to go make a bomb in the pool, efficiently splashing Lana, Nia and Winn. 

Lois laughs and then shakes her head.

“I can’t believe you fell in love with such a dork.”

The word love makes Cat’s heart race in her chest.  
Kara’s already told her a few times that she loved her, but she has yet to return the words. She knows it’s important to Kara, and the simple fact she hasn’t said them yet, despite the many times she almost has, tells her they’re important to her as well. Yet she’s never said them out loud to Kara. 

“Come on, let’s join them,” Lois says, already walking toward the pool.

The day flies by in laughter, food, and drinks.  
Carter is at home in the middle of the mismatched group of friends and family, and once again Cat marvels at how easy it is.  
She laughs when Kara, who was telling a joke about her sister, gets pushed into the pool by Alex. She squeals when Kara sends a splash of water her way, a rebellious gesture for having sided with her sister. She melts when Carter falls asleep on Kara’s shoulder in the late evening. She swoons when Kara gently wakes him when it’s time to go to the beach to see the fireworks, and again when she offers to carry the boy on her back. 

“Are you alright?” Kara murmurs against her ear once they’re all settled on the beach. 

Cat is sitting down between Kara’s legs, her back against Kara’s warm body and whenever Kara drops a kiss on the side of her neck, she shudders and sighs. 

“I am,” Cat answers, truthfully. 

Kara’s arms tighten around her, making her sigh with ease again.  
She places her hands atop Kara’s and lets her fingers trace absent minded patterns on the warm skin. She thinks back on the year she’s had, how much has changed and how she is actually looking forward to the future. 

“What are you thinking about?” Kara asks, her breath warm against Cat’s temple.

The words explode in her mind like the fireworks in the sky. 

It’s bright with colors and feelings. It’s loud like a thunderstorm and it keeps going off and off and off in explosions of truth and smoke. The sky burns above their head and Cat’s heart feels the same as the words grow and rise until it fills every inch of her.

As the grand finale starts to fade, she turns her head to Kara’s ear and whispers :

“I love you.”

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi folks!
> 
> The prompt was so **AMAZING** it totally got out of hands ( _again_ ).  
> I swear, at first it was supposed to be a nice 5k words fic, with all the cute scene, fluffy moments and sassy lines but well, what do you know, it got an additional 30k words in the end.
> 
> The title was inspired by this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2Fq64RxaR8) and if you want to know what references I used for the house, it's [here](https://www.westport-news.com/realestate/slideshow/Photos-from-article-On-the-Market-203830/photo-19553746.php). 
> 
> I hope you like it, Lola.  
> This is a modest thank you for all the fics, the books and the positives vibes you gave and continue to give to the _supercat_ community.
> 
> **Happy Christmas in July!**  
> 


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